Naturally AU, Modern Arthur Guinevere
by LightingYourDarkness
Summary: Arthur and Guinevere, in the modern world, explore a life of what appears to be beginning friendships, and possible romance. Will dark secrets keep them from what comes so very naturally?
1. Chapter 1

Gwen put the last of her boxes down in her new flat. Pushing her unruly hair out of her face she wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans, smiling. It had been a long time coming, but moving in had finally happened, and she was glad for it. Sure it wasn't the best neighborhood, or the nicest building, but it was hers. Unpacking would take a lot longer, but at least everything was here now. Grabbing clothes from a box she ran and changed into a fresh pair of light blue jeans and a pale pink top, tying two strands of hair together to pull the rest back off her face. She pushed her keys into her pocket after locking the flat door behind her and set off, the sound of her flip flops echoing down the hallway. Once outside she smiled. It was a beautiful day, the sun shining down on her, and she felt free. Utterly and completely free.

Meanwhile, young Arthur Pendragon opened his door at the top of the same building, and locked it behind his back. In his arms, he he juggled a briefcase, a cup of coffe, and a ball cap. Even though it was a complete fashion faux pas to the suit he wore, Arthur plopped the cap over his blonde head, and pushed the button for the elevator, impatiently tapping his foot.

It came quickly, but stopped near the bottom. Floor Three. He held in a groan as a young woman entered and smiled at him.

Gwen did, in fact, smile at the young man, despite his odd appearance. He looked like a business man, but wore a baseball cap. And he didn't look much older than her, far too young, certainly in her mind, to be any type of business man. She hooked her thumbs in her pockets as the lift doors closed, glancing at him, "I'm Guinevere," She said with a warm smile, "Although most people call me Gwen."

He nodded, and seeing his reflection in the sleek platinum door, pulled the red ballcap off of his head. "Ah.." It seemed only polite to reply, hence he set his briefcase on the carpeted floor, and held out his hand. "Arthur...Pendragon. " He winced, tired of getting teased that his name was so uncannily similar to the medival hero.

Gwen smiled, shaking his hand, "Impressive name." She said, not quite making the connection, "Sound very...powerful."

"I get that a lot." He remarked, smoothing his hair, and gathering his things as the elevator hit ground level. "Lovely to meet you." And then he was gone.

"Um...you too. I suppose." Gwen said, but he was gone before he had heard her. She shrugged and started walking towards the bus stop. She'd gotten a new job at a big business company. An internship. She figured she'd just be making coffee.

Arthur never took the bus. There were too many people on New York busses to suit his taste; he had a personal chauffeur instead. The car arrived at the door at ten minutes past 9 o'clock, and he hurried up another elevator, and a flight of stairs. Before entering the business room, he dumped the cup in a trash can, and threw the baseball cap behind his desk - hiding it.

Gwen glanced at her watch and had a minor panic attack. She was going to be late. On her first day. Wonderful. She ended up getting off the slow moving bus two stops early and running. People gave her funny looks but she didn't care, she had to get there.

It was 9:30am by the time she finally made it there, and she ran to the elevator, pushing the button frantically. When it arrived she stepped in, trying to catch her breath before pushing the button for the top floor.

"You're late." Arthur said, as Guinevere stepped through the door, a bit of a disheveled mess. He didn't even stop to notice that it was the young woman from the elevator of his building. "To continue." He turned his face towards the other people in the room, and the meeting went on.

Gwen looked startled. Oh good, she lived in the same building as her young, and frankly quite attractive, boss. Wonderful news. "Sorry." She murmured, trying to fix her hair.

"Sit." He said through his teeth, with a shake of his head."You're no use standing there, observing."

_'This is going to be a long day.' _Arthur thought. He wanted to appear that he could control his employees, not matter the compassion he felt for the new young girl that stood before him.

Gwen sat quietly, her face red with embarrassment. Why did this have to happen today?

Arthur continued leading the meeting, in the manner of a very successful businessman and leader; embarrassed baseball cap boy had been completely forgotten. In a few hours, Arthur gave them a break for lunch, and began to leave the table, but not before he noticed Gwen was still sitting there - stark still.

Gwen was completely wrapped up in her thoughts, on the presentation but on everything else too. It seemed like everything was happening really fast lately.

He cleared his throat, trying to get her attention. "Ehm. Guinevere. At lunch, everyone is supposed to leave the building. We aren't school children." A sheepish smile actually broke over his face as he decided to tease her a bit - pull her leg. "Unless you particularly enjoy the maid's company as she cleans the building."

Gwen jumped, "Oh, sorry." She said, standing, "And I'm sorry I was late, I didn't realize what time it was and the bus was slow..." Her voice died off. Her explanation sounded weak, even to her.

Arthur was beginning to like her more and more, and he slowly surveyed her from head to toe. Blue jeans and a pink top that would barely qualify for more than a t-shirt clothed her thin body. That wasn't exactly what he was used to seeing on businesswomen, but he nodded with a smile anyways. "It's fine. I'll pretend I didn't see it. It is your first time, after all."

Gwen smiled, "Oh. Thank you." She said gratefully, "I didn't realize I would actually be doing work." She backtracked quickly, "Not that I don't want to be doing work, that's what I'm here for. But everyone sort of convinced me I'd just be...getting coffee."

Arthur threw back his head in a real laugh. "Actually, my assistant will have some real work to do. And I believe that includes accompanying me to lunch today?" He then winked, not mentioning that wasn't her real job.

"Assis...tant?" Gwen asked, and then understood, "Oh! Well, in that case, I suppose yes, I should." She smiled, rubbing her arm absentmindedly, her hand running over the ropy scar.

With a charming smile, he held open the door for her, and then pushed the elevator button. "There we go."

Gwen smiled. It was strange, this type of thing had never happened to her before. No one seemed to take interest in her. But she figured she should just play it cool.

Arthur was actually finding her quite adorable. It was both odd and quite daring to show up to work (an established business firm at that!) in jeans and a pink t-shirt. He liked it.

Gwen stepped into the elevator and raised her eyebrows, "Coming?" She asked with a smile.

He hadn't even realised he'd been distracted, and stopped at the door, with his hand placed softly on his chin as he thought. Jerked quickly away, he stepped in. "Oh...of course!"

Gwen smiled to herself, lowering her head. This man was completely adorable, and not at all creepy. This was definitely not what she had been expecting. A creepy older man with leering looks.

"So." Arthur stuffed his hands into the pockets of his suit coat, casually. "Where for lunch?"

"It's your choice." Gwen said, although she wasn't sure she would be able to afford anywhere where he would be likely to eat, by the looks of him.

"No, yours. Completely and positively" He returned a bit cheekily.

Gwen laughed, "Somewhere that has French fries." She responded.

"Oh yes." Arthur nodded, as the elevator hit ground level. " We couldn't do without."

Gwen laughed at his reaction, "Were you expecting somewhere fancier?" She questioned, "I'm rather just a simple girl."

"I am catering to the simple girl's wishes today." Arthur smiled. "Besides, being rich can actually be quite a bore." He didn't say what he was thinking. _'Everyone seems to want everything of you, and there are days you'd like to stay at home, eat French fries, and watch television.'_

"Oh yes, being able to pay for all those things that you want must be terrible." Gwen teased.

"No." He laughed. "But it is terrible that people always assume things of you, and never look past appearances. Or names. Or...names."

"Names?" Gwen asked, "Why? Because your last name is Pendragon? Which is lovely by the way."

Arthur held open the door, to the building and waited for his car. "I actually...ehm, get teased that about that. All the fairytales...history tales, about King Arthur, you know? The comparisons get to my head sometimes."

"And you think having a name like Guinevere is any better?" Gwen said with a laugh, "Oh the cheap connections to the ancient goddess."

"True." He nodded, holding open the car door of his sleek black Cadillac. "Unless you'd...be more comfortable taking a taxi."

Gwen laughed, "I don't think I've ever been in a chauffeured vehicle before." She smiled, climbing in, "So fancy."

"Well then." Arthur grinned, shutting the door behind them. "You can consider this your introduction to chauffeured vehicles." He tapped the driver on the shoulder, and told him their desired location. "Lance has been driving me around for a few years. And I have to say, he puts up with my shenanigans rather well."

Gwen smiled, "I must say it's much nicer than a city bus." She patted her pocket absentmindedly, checking that her keys were still there, before her fingers returned to her arm. She ran her fingers up and down the thick scar that lay there. It had become almost a habit since she'd gotten it. She didn't even realize she was doing it anymore.

"Are you alright?" Arthur noted her nervous habits, even with one glance. "I won't hurt you...you know?"

Gwen nodded, lips pressed together. It had only just dawned on her that she had gotten in a car with an almost complete stranger. It was only a scary feeling.

He helped her out of the car, like gentlemen should, but couldn't understand why she'd gone from bubbly and vivacious to quiet and nervous.

Gwen thanked him for the help, and smiled. It wasn't forced, it was a genuine smile. Her nerves were calming a bit, as she saw his manners and over all politeness. Her moods seemed to fluctuate a lot. At least, that's how it seemed to her. She hoped he couldn't sense anything.

As it got quieter, even when they'd been seated, Arthur found he didn't know how to break the silence. Slowly, he found himself pointing to the menu. "See, French Fries."

Gwen laughed. His awkwardness seemed to have broken the tension. "Good." She said, "I doubted your abilities for a moment."

He blushed. "I do have a few. Though they be...far be between."

"Wonderful." Gwen said in jest, "I wouldn't want to get bored." She realized what she had said and blushed furiously.

Arthur nodded, and cleared his throat softly. "So...what are some of your...abilities or hobbies?."

Gwen smiled, "I like painting." She said, "And cooking." She thought for a moment, "I suppose that's really it. I don't really do much. But I suppose that's not very interesting."

"It's quite interesting to me." Arthur nodded. "I am a terrible cook. You wouldn't want to eat anything I made, if it was to save your life."

Gwen laughed, "Maybe I could cook for you some time." She offered, "We do live in the same building."

"Perhaps." He chuckled. "I like photography, thank you for asking, and soccer."

"Soccer?" Gwen asked, raising an eyebrow, "Now there's something _I'm_ terrible at."

"Maybe I could teach you. There's an empty field out back to the hotel building"

Gwen smiled, resting her chin on her hands, "Perhaps." She said, "If you want to be seriously injured."

His blue eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Oh? Now I am intrigued."

Gwen giggled, "I mean I would probably trip you, or kick you, or injure you in some way."

"Been there done that." Arthur returned.

"I don't think you know the danger I would be." Gwen said, holding back a laugh, "Seriously, I'm terrible."

"Like I said, I'm willing to teach you. If you will do one thing for me, in return." His smile was hiding something, but his eyes still had the twinkle that was becoming familiar.

Gwen looked slightly suspicious, raising an eyebrow, "Oh?" She asked, "I'm intrigued, do ask."

"Let me take pictures of you!" He blurted, looking more excited about that than he had about anything, in their short meeting. "You'd be beautiful on camera." Then Arthur shrugged softly. "But I don't have to."

Gwen giggled, blushing, "I don't think anyone has ever asked me that before." She said, "Really, I'm flattered. Of course, if you let me cook for you."

It hadn't come to either of their attentions that they'd completely forgotten to order, and had been talking for over an hour. He didn't say anything, but gave her a simple nod.

Gwen jumped as her watch beeped. She looked at it, before her eyes widened. "If I told you it was two o'clock, what would you do?" She asked.

"Think about each one of my employees, and their responses to my being late." Arthur said quietly, and then raised a blonde brow. "You're kidding, aren't you?"

Gwen groaned, "Oh, I wish I was."

Arthur swore under his breath, and then covered his mouth, hoping she wasn't a girl sensitive to language. "Sorry. We need to go."

Gwen laughed, "I figured as much," She stood and brushed her shirt off, "I suppose we'll have to eat later."

"Tomorrow? And limit it to an hour?" He hurried out the door, holding it for her, and waved down his car.

Gwen smiled, "I would assume so. I would invite you for dinner but..." Her voice died off but was covered by a flurry of activity as the car arrived.

Arthur quickly opened the door, and gently pushed her in, just before Lance stepped on the gas and it sped off into the traffic.

Gwen wished she could have had dinner with Arthur that night. It would be much better than the alternative was going to be.

Arthur pushed a seatbelt over Gwen's waist as the driver went faster, wondering how he wasn't speeding. "Safety first. Even when I haven't driven in two years, I still remember."

"Well I suppose you wouldn't need to when you have a chauffeur." Gwen said, holding onto him for dear life.

The car stopped suddenly, and Arthur's seatbelt jerked him backwards, and forwards. "Ouch...Lance, watch yourself."

"Flat tire." His friend remarked, with a shake of the head.

"Damn!" Arthur said without thinking, pushing the seatbelt off, and opening the door, then pulling his cellphone from his pocket.

"We could always run." Gwen offered with a weak smile.

"You want to run three miles? Through three thousand pedestrians?" Arthur groaned. "No thank you." He opened the phone, but the screen didn't blink. "Dead? You're kidding me. This is not my day..."

"Here, I have mine..." Gwen stopped, patting her pockets, "Apparently not."

Arthur knocked on the window to the car. "Lance. Do you have a cell phone?" The Driver shook his head, saying he'd left it in the charger that morning. Arthur's face nearly resembled a pout as he leaned up against the car, thinking.

Gwen leaned next to him, crossing her arms. The scarred arm was closest to his arm, but she didn't seem to notice. "This may be a problem." She said.

"Seeing as I don't know how to change a tire," the young heir admitted. "Yes." Arthur ran his fingers through his hair. "I hate my job. And you are actually the first person I've ever told." He finally laughed.

Gwen smiled, "I know how to change a tire," She said, "But honestly, I'd rather pretend I didn't. Because then we wouldn't have to go back."

"You don't want to go back?" He looked confused for a moment. "You don't like it either?"

"I do." Gwen said, "But I like spending time with you more."

"That is the first time...anyone...has ever said that." Arthur said quietly, then turning to look at the gathering crowed. "I'll try to find a pay phone, get it towed to the nearest shop."

Gwen replied, nodding. "I suppose I'll stay here then."

"You know," He smiled, and slowly held out his hand. "If you wanted to spend time with me, why don't you come?"

Gwen couldn't contain herself. Her hand reached out to his and she gripped him tightly, her hands slightly cold. "That...sounds nice."

Arthur began to pull her through the crowds, the grasp of his hand not tight, and not soft, only comfortable.

Gwen kept her grip firm, lest she be pulled away from him, which was about the last thing she wanted at the moment. Oh, how complicated things were already becoming for her. And she'd only been there for a day.

Arthur stopped suddenly in the crowd, realizing he was lost. Gwen ran full force into him; he uttered an exclamation that was an awkward mix of 'Woah' and 'Ouch'.

"Sorry!" Gwen exclaimed, looking around, not being able to say that the loud noises of the city around her weren't just a little nerve-wracking. "What's going on?"

"I have no idea where we are. Great." Arthur nodded a sarcastic undertone to his voice. "Just great."

"Well," Gwen said, "I can see...buildings." She almost hit herself. "Which is not really helpful..." She looked around her, "Where was the car again?"

"A mile or so back?" He questioned, looking around, for both the rumoured pay phone and the car - neither of which he could see.

Gwen closed her eyes, shaking her head, "Good lord we're hopeless, the two of us."

Arthur didn't really like admitting he was hopeless, so just leaned against the nearest wall, and said, "Mm."

Gwen laughed, still holding onto his hand, rather enjoying the feeling. "So." She said, "How am I doing for my fist day?"

Arthur casually let his fingers slip away, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. He hadn't held a girl's hand in a while. It felt wrong. "I'd give you an eight." He drummed his fingers along the edge bricks, and began watching the people go by.

"Out of ten?" Gwen asked with a smile. She never knew how to feel around men. Not since...well. That didn't really matter.

"Provided we ignore the fact that we are over an hour late for an important business meeting, and have a flat tire, and you showed up late this morning." He quickly continued.

"Well, there is that." She said as he noted the other points."

"But yes, out of ten." He shrugged, almost silent, and most of his rambunctious gone, seeing as they were lost in New York City, and after realising how she squeezed his hand his heart was ranging with hurt for a break it had suffered, over a year ago.

Gwen cleared her throat, "Well, I suppose we should find a way back," She said. She looked aound and caught sight of a convenience store. "Oh look! Pay phone central."

"Yeah." Arthur didn't offer her much of a response, lost in thought. "Do you mind?"

"Not at all." Gwen said, pulling several quarters out of her pocket and heading towards the shop. She returned a few minutes later. "Cab'll be here in a few minutes."


	2. Chapter 2

"Thanks." Was all he said in return to her remark about the cab, and when the taxi arrived, he didn't open her door, nor remind her to wear a seatbelt. They pulled up to the building, and after riding seven floors up in silence, he unlocked the door to his office. "I have some work to do. Make yourself comfortable, and the car will be out of the shop this evening for a ride home."

"Um, thank you." Gwen said, sounding a bit odd. She wondered what she had done, or what had happened. Clearly something had, because he was acting completely different now.

Arthur sat down in the desk chair, feeling anything but comfortable. Before he knew what he was doing, pulled the picture frame from his desk, where it sat taunting him, into his hands. His fingers toyed with the locks on the back, and a print fell into his palms - Gabriella, his ex girlfriend of a year. Sometimes even that wasn't long enough, it seemed. Angry at himself, and her, and everything, Arthur ripped the picture down the middle, and let the halves of her pretty face float down into the trash can.

Gwen ended up running errands for various people for the rest of the day. But when she had bare moments to herself, her fingers ran up and down the scar on her arm and her eyes filled with worry. The prospect of seeing him again, of seeing Alex again...it scared her. Well, that was an understatement. But she knew she had to if she was ever going to figure this out.

Arthur spent all day in his office, even with the acute knowledge there was plenty of work to be done elsewhere. He placed the 'Do Not Disturb' sign on his door, and just...sat there. The young man found himself piecing together the two halves of the picture, then ripping it into smaller pieces. He was glad she was dead, wasn't she? No! How could Arthur be glad Gabby was dead? He had loved her, and given her everything she could have wanted. He'd give her his heart, and himself, and she'd thrown it away.

At the end of the day, Gwen waited outside of the building, arms crossed over her chest, looking anxious. She had to get home before Alex got there.

Arthur left the office, shutting and locking it behind him. He'd ripped and thrown out, and picked up too many pictures. He felt that his heart had been wrung inside and out. He didn't even speak to Gwen as they rode home in the Cadillac, and then pulled up at the hotel. Arthur remembered to open the door for her, and pushed the button the elevator, only wanting to get to his penthouse, and sleep away the nightmares of the day.

"Thanks. For today." He said quietly, rapidly pushing the button.

Gwen glanced at Arthur, "For what?" She asked, "I didn't really...do anything."

"Well, most of it." Arthur's eyes were still downcast, but he made sure to smile at her.

"You talked to me. Reached out. Made a friend when I didn't deserve it."

"I think everyone deserves a friend." Gwen replied quietly. She would have said more but the lift doors slid open. And there stood Alex. Gwen swore quietly under her breath, stepping out.

"You're late." Was the first thing he said to her. He was tall, and handsome, but with a mean look, "And look at this!" He pointed to Arthur, "You've already moved on!"

"Alex leave off." Gwen replied quietly, starting to walk towards her flat. He followed uncomfortably close behind her.

"No, no, really. I mean, we've been separated for what, a month? And you've already found yourself a new boy toy."

"I'll see you tomorrow Arthur." Gwen said over her shoulder as the lift doors slid shut, covering him from her view.

Shocked beyond belief, and without even being able to say his final word, Arthur lifted his hand in a weak wave, and waited for the elevator to continue on it's journey.

When he got home, he pulled out some water from the fridge, and put on some jeans and a t-shirt, collapsing in front of the television. After watching pointless things flash before his eyes, he grabbed a soccer ball, and and found himself heading down the elevator again.

Only Arthur didn't understand why his hand hovered above, and pressed the button for floor three. He groaned, and slammed the one that said "ground floor" afterwards. It was a useless stop, and a useless thought of what he could have had. Why floor three?

It beeped, and the door opened to a mechanical voice. "Door opening." No one was there, and it nearly closed again. "Door clo-" Arthur stepped out, because he heard voices. Moreover Gwen, and she was...yelling. It was none of his business, and he knew that, but he continued down the hall, anyway.

Gwen and Alex were in Gwen's apartment, and she had tried to keep quiet, she really had. But he was so terrible...

"Oh, that guy then? Who's he?" Alex yelled at her.

"None of your business!" Gwen yelled back, "You're not a part of my life anymore, and I don't have to tell you anything!"

He grabbed hold of her arm, pulling her close, "I think it is." He hissed.

She pulled away from him, backing up, "Get out." She said. He stared at her and she raised her voice, "Get out!" Without a word he turned, pulling open the door and storming out, past Arthur.

Arthur blinked, barely seeing the man before he was being elbowed in the chest, and pushed against the wall, in a rather rude way of exciting an apartment. He could have chosen to be angry, but recognizing the man from the elevator gave him an overwhelming curiosity.

Gwen stared at the floor, blinking back tears. She knew it had been a good idea to let him come here. Was she never going to be free of him?

Arthur's ball had dropped from his hand when Alex had barged into him. It gently rolled into the open door apartment, and landed with the part that he'd signed his name on facing upwards. The young man shook his head, covering his eyes, and turning to leave the ball. He'd had enough of the drama involving Guinevere. She was just a co-worker. An employee. Her personal life was non of his business.

'Unless you want to make it your business.' He thought, involuntarily, as he pushed for the elevator, for what seemed the hundredth time that day. Maybe he should just take the stairs.

Gwen looked up as the ball rolled into her room. A faint smile touched her lips and she went and picked it up, stepping into the hallway. "Arthur." She called in a sweet voice, "I think you left something." Embarrassment coloured her thoughts. God, he'd probably heard everything.

"It's not mine..." He called back in a singsongy voice, still waiting for the stubborn elevator. "Is this elevator...broken?"

"I can see your name on it." Gwen said, trying not to smile, "And from what you told me before...I'd guess it's yours anyway."

"It's still not mine." He was really about to go up the stairs. All. Four. Flights.

"You're a terrible liar." Gwen said, putting the ball down outside her flat door. "And I'm too tired for this."

Arthur's hands gently reached for it. "Take a nap. I'm going to play ball."

"Ah. So it is yours." Gwen said with a tired smile. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah...tomorrow." He said quietly, he'd almost left, but stopped mid stride. "Unless you...want to come?"

Gwen had a hand on the door knob when he asked the question. And she couldn't stop a smile from stretching across her face, "If you wouldn't mind the company." She said.

"Actually...I'd welcome-it." Arthur found himself saying. He blinked his blue eyes rapidly. Why was he so tired he was seeing Gabby? Something was wrong with him. He sighed, and opened the door to the stairs. "I think the elevator is...stuck."

Gwen couldn't help but smile. "I hope Alex is stuck in there all night." She muttered under her breath before walking towards the stairs.

He grinned in return. "Ready to play ball?"

"Oh, I'm so ready for the injuries." Gwen replied with a grin.

A confused brow met this comment. Gabby was a great soccer player. Trying to constantly remind himself it was Gwen, Arthur shrugged it aside. "Ah, well, here we go." He set the ball down on the soft grass, and passed it to her.

Gwen, still wearing her flipflops, kicked them off, and passed the ball back with the inside of her foot. Surprisingly, she managed to pass the ball in a straight line, which made her smile.

"Good! You still remember." He commented, passing it back again, lost in memories.

Arthur was tired, and confused, and still seeing Gabby's face somehow, but maybe that was just in his heart.

"Still remember?" Gwen repeated, looking confused. She didn't remember him teaching her anything.

"Nothing. Nevermind." Arthur rubbed his temples, and instinctively passed it again, without even looking. "I'm...tired."

Gwen stopped the ball with her foot, "That seems to be going around." She said, covering a yawn. Her mind was still caught up with Alex, and being with Arthur didn't seem to be helping her

By now he was convinced he was either sleeping, or about to be there. "I'm sorry, Gab-Gwen. I need to sleep. Catch you in the morning? Starbucks...at six?"

Arthur was mixing the two together, and waved as he headed up the stairs, murmuring to himself. "What the hell is wrong with me?"

"Sure..." Gwen said, her voice dying off. She watched him go before retrieving her shoes and walking slowly back to her apartment. She didn't know what to think anymore.

That night, her small frame trembled as nightmares washed through her mind. And she was terrified. So, so scared. So the next morning, as she got into the lift, dark circles showed beneath her eyes, and her face looked drawn, despite the smile she flashed Arthur.

Arthur was on the phone as she stepped into their elevator meeting place, and wasn't smiling. His voice was strained, and the conversation was obvious, almost as if she wasn't in the same room. "I know, Dad, but...I don't understand what's going on. Yes, I know you love me." There was a pause, and Arthur winced. "No, I don't need to go see your therapist! I don't care. I'm over Gabby." He hung up, and stuffed the phone into his pocket. Turning it off, he turned to Gwen. "Sorry, I didn't mean you to hear that."

Gwen shook her head, "It's fine." She said, "I'm sorry you had to hear...last night. I'm just..." She stopped, "Well, it doesn't really matter." She put her hands together, rocking on the balls of her feet. She was a bit more dressy today. A black, knee length skirt and a white blouse. Much more professional.

"I'm sorry you had to hear that-now." Arthur nodded, and then waited in the awkward silence as they were ushered down the building's many floors. "My father, he's convinced I'm...well, it doesn't matter."

"I understand how fathers are." Gwen said quickly. "Believe me, I do." Sadness coloured her tone but she didn't elaborate. It was none of his business. It was just something she had to deal with. Like everything else.

Arthur said nothing until they reached the building that day. "I'm sorry, Gwen. I've been acting rather inappropriate towards you. I was only tired last night, please ignore, " He cleared his throat, finding it difficult to go on for a moment. "what I said."

'And what I thought.' Arthur continued in his head. Gwen would never be Gabriella, and he knew that. Why was it he was so, familiarized by the way she said and did things, that it hurt? It reminded him of last years events so much. They were similar; Arthur couldn't deny himself that much. He shoved his hands into his pockets, and entered the office, beginning the work that had been left on the desk.

Gwen raised her eyebrows as Arthur explained himself, but didn't have time to reply before he had retreated into his office. "Oh." Was all she said quietly to herself. It was hard to explain but there was so much she wanted to say to him. That Alex scared her, and that she wanted to say something to Arthur to make everything seem...normal. And that in the short time Gwen had known Arthur, he seemed to make her feel...better. Not whole, but better.

Arthur appeared by Gwen's desk a few hours later, a little before lunch break would start, having an expression on his face that was mixed with curiosity and shyness.

"Are you still up for lunch today...Or am I too much of a traumatic person?"

He had to smile a bit at that, admitting that their toils yesterday had been rather interesting, if not adventurous.

Gwen looked up after she finished what she was typing, "As long as getting lost is not on the menu for today." She replied with a smile.

"I shall do my best." Arthur nodded with a slight chuckle. "Provided you will let me take you to my favourite restaurant. My treat."

Gwen stood."I suppose just this once." She said.

Arthur smiled, and handed her his arm. "Ready, my fair lady?"

Gwen accepted his arm with a smile, "Of course good sir." She said.

That night, Arthur lay on his bed, longing for sleep, but finding himself sleepless. After tossing, and turning for over an hour, he sat up, pulling the lamp cord. It was hopeless, Arthur decided, and went and sat at the computer. He'd taken a picture of Gwen at lunch today, and was editing it. Just looking at it made Arthur smile; she was peeking out shyly was a bunch of flowers on the table, and giggling. The young man's smile turned into a grin, and he continued working.

Suddenly, a loud knock came at the door, and Arthur sat up straight, closing the computer. Barely remembering, he pulled a bathrobe over his thin shirt, and opened the door.

Gwen hadn't be able to sleep. Well, she had, but for a maybe an hour. Then the nightmare had forced her to wake, demanding her attention. Because there was nothing she could do to escape him. Alex was there even in her dreams. She had woken suppressing a scream, trembling from head to toe. So, restless, she'd taken a blanket, wrapped it tightly around her shoulders, and wandered. And come to Arthur's flat. Where she stood now, still trembling, her hair a mess, looking completely terrified. "Sorry to disturb you." She said in a small voice.

"Guinevere." Arthur blinked, and leaned on the door frame, slightly confused as to why she'd shown up at his apartment...at 1 AM in the morning, no less. "Are you alright...you look..." He didn't quite finished, and gently led her inside. The living room was very clean, sleek, and modern. Housekeeping had been in that day, and Arthur now had a reason to be glad. Luxurious - in one word, his living quarters were that.

"Wow." Gwen said, looking around as she pulled the blanket more tightly around her shoulders, "Much nicer than mine." She was avoiding the subject.

"Much nicer than I need." He shrugged, and led her to a soft plush sofa, pulling a blanket from a closet for himself. "Go ahead and sit down."

"Thank you." Gwen said, sitting, "Sorry to...you know, disturb you like this. I was...alone I guess."

"Com'on." Arthur sat down beside her, curling up in his blanket, actually glad for the surprise company. He didn't get any often; his family just wasn't close. Besides for his father, that is, who was much closer than Arthur wanted. "You can tell me. I won't tell a soul."

She looked down, then back up at him, "Dark nights seem to reveal dark secrets." She said with a faint smile, "Even ones people don't want to remember."

Arthur nodded, feeling like there wasn't much else he could say. "Would you...like something to drink?"

"No, I just..." Gwen took a breath, "It was Alex." She said. "That's...that's the guy I was fighting with the other day. He doesn't seem to leave me alone, not matter when it is." Without thinking, her fingers found the scar on her arm.

"He did that, didn't he?" Arthur said slowly, feeling like he needed to watch his ground. "You know, you can call security, or lock your doors. You don't have to let him do this to you."

"He wasn't actually there." Gwen said, "And you can't lock out dreams no matter how hard you try." She flashed him a sad smile, tears shining in her eyes, "It's so hard to forget."

"I know the feeling." He slowly reached up, and caught one of the falling tears with a tissue he'd grabbed from the the nearby table. Arthur stood, and left for a moment, heading back to his room, and returning rather quickly, only to hold up a picture. It was time to talk. He hadn't even known her that long, but it felt like he had. "I still remember. And it happened a year ago."

"Who...who is that?" Gwen asked, wiping away her tears as she studied the picture of a beautiful young woman. Maybe...if he didn't push her, she would tell him her story on her own.

"Her name was Gabriella," He started out. "She committed suicide."

Gwen moved her eyes from the picture to his face. She didn't say anything. He would tell her in his own time.

"You're a lot like her, you know?" Arthur moved his glance from the picture to Gwen. "I kept getting you...it's complicated."

Gwen nodded. His reactions outside on the field. He had been seeing her, Gabriella. Not Gwen. It made sense now.

"I don't know why. I keep asking myself why." Arthur continued, shaking his head at the picture, and sounding bitter. "It must have me. I wasn't enough."

Gwen shook her head, "I'm sure whatever it was, it wasn't you." She said gently, "And you can't blame yourself."

"I've been trying." This time when he looked up, he was the one that had tears in his eyes, and he hated it. Crying in front of a girl he barely knew, but was so unnaturally attracted to. "All this time, to forget. But those three days were the worst I thought my life could get."

Gwen felt like she should talk. Just for the sake of telling him about her own problems. "I met Alex two years ago." She said in a quiet voice. "He seemed completely perfect...but then they always do." She paused, fingers running up and down the scar. "As time went on, we became closer. And then we were dating. But then he became possessive. He stopped letting me go anywhere, wouldn't let me see my friends, my family. So one day I tried to leave. He was practically keeping me prisoner. That's when he gave me this." She turned her arm to display the scar, long and ugly. "I almost bled to death. And that's when I knew I had to get out."

Arthur didn't reply for a long time, he felt he shouldn't - or maybe he couldn't. When he did, it was a simple and soft, "I'm so sorry. You deserve better."

Gwen smiled, "He keeps coming." She said, "Yesterday, I thought I would be able to handle him. Clearly I can't. And he's still there."

"Like I said," Arthur yawned, and blinked rapidly, trying to keep his eyes open. "You don't have to let him."

"I'm not trying to let him." She said. Gently, she tilted her head, resting it lightly on his shoulder as her eyelids fluttered. She was so exhausted.

That was a little awkard. Arthur tried not to frown at the memories that began to envelope him, and as sweetly as possible, remarked, "I have a guest room. If you'd feel better there, you're more than welcome to use it."

Gwen sighed, raising her head, "I should probably go back to mine." She said, "I just...needed to calm down."

"Really, if you'd feel safer here, you're welcome to the space." Arthur shrugged, and stood up, nodding to a door that led to a hallway. "Down the hall, three doors to the left." He didn't mention that having someone he barely knew sleep in his house was more than a little odd, feeling that she needed the shelter he was offering.

"No, really, it's fine." Gwen said, standing, "I just...needed someone to talk to I guess." She had truly calmed down now. She just needed someone to talk to every now and then.

"Well, you know where I am if you need me." Arthur yawned, barely able to keep his eyes open any more.

Gwen nodded, "Thank you." She said quietly, though for what she wasn't quite sure. She left, closing the door gently behind her before walking to the elevator.

"G'night." He didn't even bother to head to the bedroom, and simply shut the light, collapsing on the couch.


	3. Chapter 3

The next day Gwen looked considerably more well rested, though not fully. At least it was Wednesday. She was planning a painting project for the weekend, and was itching to start.

However, Arthur was late for work. He slept in two extra hours, and woke up groggily at ten a.m. He was barely aware of the time until it seemed to glare at him from the kitchen clock. "You've got to be kidding..."

Gwen, not exactly knowing what was happening, ended up taking the bus to work. She didn't mind, she was used to it.

Now, Arthur knew he had extra work to catch up, and headed straight to his office, still barely awake. He shot a sheepish look at Gwen as he passed her desk, and mouthed. "Sorry."

Gwen smiled in return. It wasn't a big deal to her. People made mistakes. She worked steadily throughout the day, not letting herself be distracted.

He didn't take a lunch break, but took a bare moment to pop up his internet browser and send her an email. _"Sorry I missed the carpool this morning, and can't take you to lunch, Gwen. Want to come over tonight? Love, Arthur."_

Only, Arthur didn't realise, that he'd sent it to the entire business network, which would certainly arouse curiosity.

Gwen received the e-mail with a smile, not noticing the several other names. When she replied, it was sent only to him. It read, _"No worries. I'll cook? Gwen xx"_

_ "Ah, the intrigue continues. I've not had a girl cook for me in while."_ He returned, typing happily._ "See you at eight, darling?"_

Arthur enjoyed teasing her a bit, and perhaps, maybe just a little, he was flirting. That surprised even him.

Gwen had to cover her face to hide the blush there. When she had finally recovered she replied, _"I'll be there dear."_ Four simple words. She would have said more but she heard someone behind her and sent it quickly, closing the browser and turning. A woman stood there with long, straight blonde hair, wearing a black blouse, tucked into a black pencil skirt.

"Just what, do you think you're getting yourself into?" Sarah said sharply.

"Um..." Gwen looked startled, sitting up a bit straighter, "What are you...talking about?"

"Oh? So you haven't heard?" She sat down in the empty chair near to Guinevere's desk, and crossed her long slim legs, an amused smirk on her face.

"Heard about...what?" Gwen asked, looking thoroughly confused at this point.

"Arthur's reputation with the ladies." Sarah didn't bother to cross her ground carefully.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Gwen responded.

"Look." The other woman said in a way that could either be jealousy or belittlement. "It's been obvious, he's taken quite a spin for you."

"Is it?" Gwen asked, turning away. Her hair fell across her face, hiding her smile from view.

"Oh, quite. Just be careful. He does have," she stood, her expression snooty. "Quite the reputation. It might be too much for a small town girl to handle. Arthur is a big boy, Gwen."

"I can fend for myself, but thank you for the concern." Gwen said with a sweet smile. She didn't like the condescending tone this woman was giving her.

The return smile was icy. "We'll see." Then she was gone, returned to her desk on the other side of the room.

"Oh wonderful." Gwen sighed. She went back to her work but now she distracted. She didn't believe what the woman, Sarah, Gwen thought her name was, had said, but still...it was worrying.

That evening when the bell rang, Arthur opened the door to Gwen, with a grin on his face. He didn't understand why she looked a bit worried, but shrugged it off, and said, "There's food in the kitchen. I ensured that the maid filled the pantry."

"Never fear." Gwen said with a smile. She had several spices in her arms, ones that people usually didn't own, "The chef is here."

He smiled, and sat down on a stool, after switching on the light to reveal a very modern, high tech kitchen. "Now...are you the sort of girl that wants me to get lost while you cook? Or am I permitted to watch and wait?"

"You can watch." Gwen said with a smile, "Just...don't distract me,"

"I shall be perfectly silent." Arthur vowed, viewing her with big curious eyes, and his grin that had been glued to his face all evening.

Gwen smiled, and started to make dinner. She started to cut up vegetables, and began to fry them. Oil in a pan, vegetables in after. Peppers and onions, various spices - it started to smell good before long.

The doorbell rang again, and Arthur's eyebrows knit in curiosity as he got up to answer it.

Gwen continued her cooking, staring after him rather curiously.

Arthur didn't want to open to the door, but he figured he needed to. It was his dad. "Dad." He leaned on the frame, still a bit unwilling to let his father in.

"Arthur. Aren't you going to let me in?" The older gentlemen said.

"I have a...guest tonight..."

"Arthur." His father's tone was still polite, but growing more concerned. "Another girl? What is this...number 7? Since Gabby."

Arthur grimaced, worried Gwen would overhear.

"Dad. It's not that serious. We're just having dinner."

The older man didn't look convinced at his son's excuse, and Arthur finally let him into the living room.

"Stay here..."

Gwen heard voices and tried not listen in. All she heard was 'Number 7? Since Gabby'. She figured that was all she really needed to hear. She didn't move though. Just continued with what she was doing. She was going to give him a chance, but didn't know why - only figured he deserved that much from her.

"Gwen." Arthur came into the kitchen again. "My dad's here. I have a feeling he's not going to leave." He looked both disappointed and embarrassed that their evening had been interrupted.

"Oh." Gwen's mouth formed a small, perfect 'o'. "Well, I can go. It's no problem, really." She smiled, turning off the oven and wiping her hands, "It's fine."

"No. Stay!" He said quickly. "I'll make him leave. It's my house." Arthur felt he should explain, nervously running his hands through his hair. "Gwen. About...that. My father takes everything to extremes. " His voice was lowered, ensured that the conversation couldn't be heard from the living room. "You aren't number seven in year. I don't play with girls. It would take far longer than I have to...tell you but.." Now he was stuck. How was he supposed to explain easily that his friends kept setting him up on blind dates? It certainly wasn't simple to say that once that happened, his father thought he was in love and doing immoral things. "Uhm. It will have to wait. I promise I'll tell you."

Arthur told her to wait in the kitchen, and left to try to convince his father to come back in a few hours.

Gwen was left in a more confused state than she had started off in. Shrugging, she turned the oven back on. They may as well have food if this was going to be a long story. She blocked out the voices that floated back from the living room and hummed to herself.

Arthur returned ten minutes later, with word his father had left for the night and they could have their evening together.

"Sorry, about that."

"It's fine," Gwen said. She didn't want to mention it but..."You know Sarah? At work?" She asked, almost casually.

He made a 'Ueh' sound in the back of throat. "I know her. I hired her."

"She was acting odd." Gwen said, "I don't know, it was like she thought you were some sort of bad guy."

He was caught a little off guard at that. They'd actually grown up knowing one another. "Oh was she?" Arthur raised a curious brow. "And what did she say?"

"Just that you've gone through a lot of girls." Gwen said casually, "And that a small town girl like me should watch herself."

A slow nod was his only response, as if he was lost in thought.

"I told her I can handle myself, though." Gwen added.

"You can." Arthur shrugged. "Really? Do you trust her, or do you trust me? She's just...a hooker. She's been after me for years."

Gwen laughed, "I could tell." She said, "I'm sure I'll be fine."

"Back on good terms then?" His blue eyes sparkled the way they had they first day they'd met.

"Didn't think we were off them." Gwen said with a grin, "Dinner's almost ready."

"Thanks." Arthur said quietly. "It smells yummy!"

Gwen smiled, turning the stove off. "Plates would be...?"

He stood, and reached into the cupboard above her head. "I honestly don't know if I've ever used these..."

"What do you eat?" Gwen asked, honestly confused.

"Well, I eat out mostly, or I eat frozen food." Arthur shrugged. "Not exactly healthy, but I can't cook!"

"That definitely can't be healthy." She smiled, starting to put food on the plates.

He reddened, and sat down. "Well, are you telling me to learn? Or to employee a chef?" Then made a face. "Or to get married...now?"

"Definitely learn." Gwen said, giggling, "I'll teach you sometime."

"...Thanks." Arthur blinked.

"Not a problem." Gwen responded, blushing herself. She handed him a plate, grinning, "And food."

"It's very good." He had a bite. "Thanks."

Gwen smiled, "Cooking is fun." She said with a shrug, "Gives me something to do."

"So's soccer." He grinned cheekily. "I still plan to give you a proper lesson."

"Oh wonderful." Gwen said with mock horror, "The joy."

"You'll have fun! I promise." He softened. "Unless you'd rather do something sweeter; sports aren't very girly."

"I don't care about being girly." Gwen said, brushing off the comment, "I like watching soccer. Just...the playing of it..."

"Well," Arthur finished his delicious food, and began picking up the dishes, although he didn't have much of a clue what to do with them. "How about we...get popcorn and a movie?"

"Are you asking me out on a date?" Gwen asked teasingly.

Arthur looked away uncomfortably, turning redder by the second. "...No..no. We're just friends."

"I was joking," Gwen said sweetly "Calm down."

"Of course." He cleared his throat. "But, I can...if you'd like me to." Arthur didn't know why the idea made him uncomfortable. Probably because he enjoyed her company more than any girl since what had happened.

Gwen bumped her hip against his gently, "Hey, don't worry about it." She said, "Whatever happens happens. We're not pushing it."

"Thanks." Arthur said quietly. "I'll just say it." However, he couldn't, even as he looked at her, as she smiled sweetly, a dish rag in her hands.

"Now you're embarrassing yourself." Gwen said with a laugh, "Stop it, before you make me blush."

"I can't say it!" Arthur groaned. "It hurts too much to say."

"Well then I'll ask you." Gwen said, smiling. She took his large hands in her own small, still slightly damp hands. "Arthur, will you accompany me to the movies on a date?" She was clearly suppressing a smile as she said it.

He slowly smiled, then softly wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "It would be my pleasure."

"Wonderful." Gwen said, "That wasn't so hard."

"No." Arthur grasped her hand, pulling her into the living room, and flopping down onto the couch, while picking up a remote. "Now, what is your favorite?"

Gwen laughed, tumbling down next to him, "Anything that doesn't involve gooey gross stuff."

"Hip hip hurray." Arthur handed the remote to her.

"No chick flicks." Gwen said with a decisive nod, taking the remote.

"I watched those for a whole three years." Arthur suddenly realised. "Time for a change!"

Gwen laughed, flipping through channels. "Ooh!" There were explosions, and there were guns, and there was fire. "I think yes to action movies."

"Right on." He smirked, teasing her. "But you have to cuddle me if I get scared."

"Oh of course." Gwen said, laughing, "I'll fight away the monsters."

"Good." He made himself comfortable. Gwen smiled, tucking her feet up under her and leaning gently against him.

"Psst. I don't understand what's going on. I think we started in the middle." Arthur whispered a few minutes later, cocking a brow.

Gwen's body shook against his in silent laughter. "I'm assuming that he." She pointed to one of the men, "Is the bad guy." She paused, "Or maybe him."

"Thanks. I'm lost." He returned with a shake of the head.

"Yeah, my explanation started off quite well." She replied.

A few hours later the movie finished and another started - something soft and slow, and it took Gwen all of twenty minutes to fall asleep. She was still exhausted from the sleepless nights that had haunted her for days.

An exhausted Arthur wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and slowly fell asleep as well. It was a few hours later when he woke up in the same position. "Gwen?"

Gwen stirred, letting out a small sigh as she moved closer to him, still partially asleep. He was so warm.

"Guinevere..." Arthur encouraged her to wake up, still half asleep himself. He looked at the clock. 3 AM. "Maybe you should go home?" Realising she probably wouldn't wake up, he softly picked her up, and carried her to the guest room, arranging her on the bed. "Sleep well.

Gwen barely stirred. She simply turned over, curling into a small ball, like a child. Her hair fell across her face, and she continued to sleep.

Arthur smiled, and shut the door behind him, heading to his own room down the hall.

Morning curled around before he knew it, and he was awakening to someone making breakfast. Confused, he awoke and got out of bed, finding his way to the kitchen.

Gwen had woken up an hour or so ago, confused at first. But after figuring out where she was, she couldn't help but smile. She tied her hair off her face, smoothed her rumpled clothes, and decided to make pancakes, which was what she was doing when Arthur came in. "Morning!"

"Morning..." He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, and then laughed. "You fell asleep here. I-" Arthur yawned. "Couldn't wake you...up."

"I sort of remember being half awake." Gwen admitted, "But I made you pancakes. As a thank you."

"I should have taken you home." Arthur confessed. "Sorry. But I was mostly asleep myself."

"It's fine." Gwen said, grinning into her cup of juice, not quite willing to let him see how happy she was. "I don't think I've had such a good sleep in...ages."

"I'm glad you're here. But, you'll have to go home after breakfast...to change, for work." He explained.

"I know." Gwen said. Quickly, she transferred the pancakes from the pan to the plate. "Which is why I already ate." She ran towards the door then paused. She padded back, holding her shoes, her bare feet making quiet noises on the hardwood floor. "Thank you." She said again, quietly, and kissed him on the cheek. Then she ran back to the door and slipped out before he could respond.

Arthur chuckled, and ate his breakfast quickly before showering and changing for work. As he went down to the lobby to wait for her, an hour later, he realised he was happier than he'd been in a very long time.

Gwen had never showered faster in her life. She brushed out her hair, drying it quickly, and changing her clothes - jeans (nice ones at least) and a fitted black blouse, and then she down in the lobby, smiling at Arthur.

It was raining softly outside, but he tossed his hooded jacket over her shoulders anyway. "There you are. Ready?"

"I am indeed." Gwen said with a sweet smile. She started to walk towards the car and glanced over her shoulder, "Coming darling?" It was teasing how she said it, but real in her heart.

"Of course." Arthur opened the door, and slid in. "Now, don't forget your seatbelt, now"

Gwen slid in after him. "Yes sir," She said with a mock salute, pulling her seatbelt across her shoulder.

He grinned, and ruffled her hair. "You have no idea how much you cheer me up."

"Good." Gwen said with a satisfied smile, "I live to make people happy."

"What a sweetheart." was the reply, and soon enough they'd reached the building. Arthur grabbed her hand, and pulled her into the elevator.

Gwen smiled, liking how he was acting. It was sweet and adorable. It made her feel...normal. She smiled as the elevator doors closed. "Fancy coming over tonight?" She asked, "I have something I want to show you."

"I'd love to." Arthur nodded, and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Good." Gwen said with a smile, "Although you will have to provide food."

"As long as I don't have to cook it, we're good." He laughed, and the elevator opened to the sleek set of offices, reminding him to be a bit more professional. "See you in a bit."

"You'd better think of something." Gwen said quietly before he was out of ear shot, although not loud enough for anyone else to here.

"I will, love." Arthur returned, bending down to kiss her cheek. "See you tonight." With that, he was off to work, and found himself being much more industrious and certainly a bit cheerier.

Gwen smiled, hiding her blush. She went to her desk and sat down, focusing on her work. She didn't even notice Sarah walk past her. Sarah was wearing a short black skirt, high heels and a white blouse with a black jacket. She walked to Arthur's office and knocked before entering. "Arthur darling." She said with a smile, "I have those reports you wanted."

"Ah, thank you...Sarah." He cleared his throat, blinking at her attire which was certainly different than what she wore yesterday. "Very kind of you."

"Not a problem." Sarah said. She walked over to his desk, putting down the papers she had been carrying and pushing them towards him. "So...the new girl...Gwen? What do you think of her?" She asked the question casually, but stared at him judgingly.

"Oh, she's great." Arthur nodded quickly, then looked back at everything scattered over his desk. "If you'll excuse me, I have some things to do."

"Of course." Sarah said, turning. It was only once she was looking away from Arthur did she let her smile drop and an almost jealous look flashed across her face. She could see what was going on.

"Something wrong?" He didn't look up this time, trying to keep busy.

"No." Sarah said, "Nothing at all." And then she left his office.

Arthur relaxed when she left, but couldn't wait until that night, when he'd finally get a chance to be with Gwen - just the two of them.

The day seemed to pass a lot slower than Gwen would have liked. And she could have sworn Sarah kept shooting her looks across the room.

Arthur ended up having to work late, and shot Gwen a message, still he wanted to make sure he was doing everything to the best of his ability.

Gwen went outside to wait for Arthur and ended up getting an ice cream from one of the convenience stores nearby. She ate it while she waited for Arthur, looking very much like a child.

"Don't you look cute." Arthur tugged the braid she'd thrown her hair into, when he found her on the nearest outside bench.

"Well thank you." Gwen said with a smile that was smeared in ice-cream, "Can we go now?"

"Of course. Sorry I'm late." Arthur laughed. "But...just let me..." He grabbed a napkin she was holding and wiped off her face. "Clean you up."

"Thanks...and don't worry about it." Gwen said, grinning, "Let's go. Because I would like to show you something that took me a very long time."

"Right!" Arthur tossed back. "Can't wait."

"Wonderful." Gwen said as Lance pulled up in the car. She slid into the car, finishing her ice cream, and trying to stay neat. "Come on!" She was practically bouncing with excitement.

"I'm coming." Now he really couldn't wait.

Gwen grinned as he got in and the car started to move.

"So." Arthur said as Gwen led him up to the apartment. "Do I get even one clue? Just a tiny teeny hint?...Maybe?"

"Nope!" Gwen said with a grin. She took his hand and pulled him to the door, before reaching into her pocket and pulling out a makeshift blindfold. "You have to put this on."

"Alright." He smiled, and covered his eyes.

Gwen waved her hand in front of his face before grinning and opening the door to her flat, pulling him in gently. "Wait here." She said, before running into her room and coming out with a large canvas. "Alright, blindfold off." On the canvas was a sunset, painted in reds, yellows, blues, all blended together over a seaside background. And in the middle were two people, a man and a woman, just their dark forms. The girl's head rested on the boy's shoulder, her curly hair wildly arranged. It was clearly the two of them. Gwen bit her lip and waited for a response.

"...Wow..." Was all he could say, and for some reason, could not stop looking at all the beautiful colors she'd used to interpret the feelings.

"You like it?" Gwen asked nervously.

"I love it." Arthur nodded, and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

Gwen smiled, setting the canvas down. "I'm glad you like it." She said, half hugging him.

"I like it. But I love you." He didn't know where, but the young man finally found the courage to pull her close, and kiss her.

That was probably the last thing Gwen had expected to happen. But she didn't protest, because she trusted him completely

Arthur didn't pull back for a few minutes, but when he did, a feeling of complete satisfaction for his life had settled in his chest.

"Well..." Gwen said, a deep red blush covering her face, "That was..."

"Sorry.." Arthur cleared his throat, and removed his arms from her neck. "I should have asked."

"No, that would have ruined the chick flick moment," Gwen said with a teasing smile. "Here, let me try again." She rose onto her toes and kissed him again gently.

Before Arthur knew it, he was lost in her, completely.

Gwen smiled, her arms snaking around his neck gently as she clung to him as though he was a lifeline.

He never wanted the moment to end, and couldn't part himself from her. Arthur put his fingers into her beautiful hair, a slight smile tinting his lips. "Don't ever leave me." He murmured softly.

"Deal." Was Gwen's reply, because she was lost in him completely. His eyes, his smile, his voice. She belonged to him.

Arthur lifted her into his arms, smiling. His blue eyes grinned down at her. "I'll always be yours."

"Always." Gwen echoed with a soft smile. He made her feel perfect, and beautiful, and special. She didn't ever want to lose that.


	4. Chapter 4

Time seemed to pass quickly after that. Weeks went by and Gwen was in a sort of daze. She was totally and completely happy, until a month or so later, when she was totally and completely sick. And not just a cold sick, but a fever sick. She woke up to what felt like someone hammering inside her skull. She was just thankful it was a Saturday. Every time she stood up she would get dizzy, and walking to the kitchen had become perilous. She was currently on her couch, trying not to throw up as the room spun around her.

Arthur usually took Gwen to breakfast every Saturday morning, and when she didn't meet him in the lobby, he got worried and came up to the door. "Gwen. Gwen...?" Arthur gently knocked on the door.

Gwen groaned and rolled off the couch. She had to wait for a few minutes before she was sure she wasn't going to pass out, and she stood up. It seemed to take her hours to get to the door, but in reality it probably wasn't that long. She opened it slowly, leaning against the doorway. "Arthur." She said with a tired smile, "Sorry, I should have called."

"No, no, lay back down." Arthur gently ran his hand over her soft face, and kissed her forehead. "I am at your service, darling."

Gwen smiled, still leaning on the doorway. Her forehead was hot with a fever and her eyes were slightly unfocused. "Lying down seems like a good idea." She said in an absent sort of voice.

"Do I to take you in?" He helped her relax onto the couch, and ran to the small kitchen, ringing out a wet cloth to place on her burning forehead.

Gwen closed her eyes to lessen the pounding in her head. "Thank you." She said as she felt the cold cloth on her forehead.

"You just relax, and I'll carry you." Arthur draped a soft blanket over her shoulders, and scooped her into his arms. "I'll even drive, so we don't look...funny."

"Where are we going?" Gwen asked in a dazed sort of voice. She felt very much like a child.

"Do the doctor's office." Arthur said calmly, opening the door, and strapping her into the passenger's seat. "Maybe even try to sleep. You'll be alright, Gwen."

Gwen was already partially out of it. Her head rested against the cool window, the blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Tremors ran through her body as she lay half awake and half asleep.

It seemed like it was forever that Arthur waited in the small room of coughing, sick, and shaking people. Gwen's head rested on his shoulder, and tried to comfort her, and fill out paper work that was stuffed at him, realising he didn't know some of what he was supposed to right down. "Gwen. I need you to wake up. I don't know all of this."

Gwen woke up, looking at Arthur with glassy eyes. "Which stuff?"

"Never mind. Never mind. It's alright. I'll just honestly say the boyfriend didn't know..."

"No, no, I can do it." Gwen said, trying to take the pen from him.

"Shh. Just lie down." Arthur soothed, and gave the papers pack as her name was called. "Can you walk?"

Gwen nodded, standing up and leaning on him slightly. "Let's go then." She said.

Arthur helped her lie down on the bed, and took the chair across from, wowed at what his day was turning out to be. Was this what it would be like to be a husband someday? He wondered.

Gwen looked over at Arthur, "Thank you for doing this." She said, her voice slightly cracked, "You didn't have to."

"Yes," he sat up straighter to look into her eyes. "I did because I love you, and when someone loves someone else...they don't leave."

Gwen smiled, "And that is why you are perfect." She responded.

"That's where you're wrong, Guinevere. I have many flaws." Arthur nodded, but came to hold her hand.

"Not to me you don't." Gwen responded with a tired but sweet smile.

"Nor do you. Now lie still, and I'll talk to the doctor." He left, quietly closing the door behind him.

"Alright," Gwen said, closing her eyes. Concentrating seemed to drain her of energy, and she just wanted to block out the world for a while.

"You've got the flu, darling." Arthur said quietly, as he entered again a few minutes later. "But with some good care, you should be back on the road to health. I'll be there the whole time."

"Oh good." Gwen said, "For a moment I thought I was going to die." She was joking, clearly."Can I go home now?"

"Of course. Let's go home." Arthur picked her up, kissing her softly on the cheek, and a half an hour later she was softly settled into her bed.

Despite wanting to sleep, Gwen couldn't. She was restless. She tossed and turned, her head pounding. She had the covers on, and then off. She was using a pillow, and she had pushed it to the floor. There was no sleep that wanted to present itself to her.

"Gwen." Arthur had been in the living room, but came to sit on the bed. "Gwen. Wake up." He couldn't help himself, and began to tidy up the room a bit, placing the rest of the pillows under her head, and straightening her blankets.

"I'm not asleep." Gwen mumbled. "I can't sleep."

"Sleep is what you need." He kicked off his shoes, and lay down beside her. "If I'm right here, then can you sleep?"

"I don't know." Gwen said with a smile, "You're so distracting." She closed her eyes, moving closer to him.

Arthur smiled in contentment, and pulled her closer. "So are you. Now. Sleep, and when you do..." He didn't finish aloud. 'I can clean up the house, get dinner, and run over to work and hope they haven't missed my extra day.'

"You're going to leave." Gwen mumbled, "And be back later, because you're a wonderful person." She rested her still hot forehead against his chest and felt sleep start to envelop her.

He chuckled. "I most certainly will." With her finally asleep, Arthur shoved his feet back into his shoes, left a note, and headed over to the office in his tennis shoes, jeans, and hoody - hoping they wouldn't mind.

Gwen rolled over, sleeping on her stomach. She slept for hours and thought of absolutely nothing. Perfect.

Later that evening, Arthur slipped in the door to leave her some breakfast out for the next morning before heading back to his own flat.

Gwen woke up in the middle of the night. She still had a headache, but she felt a lot better than she had the day before. She was sure another few days and she would be fine again.

The next morning turned around bright and sunny and Arthur blinked as light poured through his curtains. "Gwen. Must go take care of Gwen." He mumbled, and got out of bed.

Gwen was already in Arthur's flat. Mostly because she hadn't been able to sleep after she'd woken up. Also because the two had exchanged keys a few weeks ago. She had arrived a few hours ago and was sitting on his sofa, wrapped in a blanket, watching television. "I don't get cable at my place." She said when he entered.

"Ah." It was still a little surprising to see her there. "Good morning. Get my note?"

"I did." Gwen nodded in confirmation, turning off the television. "My eyes wouldn't focus on the words though." She smiled apologetically, "I wanted to thank you though, for taking care of me."

"You're very welcome, darling." Arthur sat down next to her, and slid his arm over her shoulder. "We'll get you feeling better."

Gwen smiled, putting her head on his shoulder, "I already do." She said with a happy sigh.

"Hey, I know this might sound weird, but it's Sunday. Would you like to come to chapel with me? Downstairs...I used to go every week." Arthur smiled. "If you're not feeling well, I can just be gone for maybe fifteen minutes."

Gwen shifted uncomfortably, "I think I'll stay here." She said, "If that's okay."

"That's fine. I can skip." He shrugged, and settled closer.

"No, Arthur if you want to go, go. Really, don't worry about it." She looked at him seriously, "Really."

"If you don't like someone that was raised that way...I'll drop it." Arthur nodded. "It's seriously fine."

"It's not like that." Gwen said, "Everyone is free to believe in what they choose."

"I'll take care of you today." Arthur decided. "And I would kiss you, if I didn't want to get sick."

Gwen shrugged to herself, "If you want to spend together, that is totally and completely fine by me." She smiled, then winced as her head pounded. "And I don't want you sick either."

"Maybe you should go back to sleep?" Arthur hinted. "You look like you could use the rest."

"I can't sleep anymore." Gwen said, "I don't feel tired at all." Her head pounded and she blinked rapidly, "It's just a headache."

"You need to be lying down." His enforcement was still gentle as the volume on the screen slid to zero. "What is your favorite food? For lunch...it's almost noon. And I'm really hungry."

"You can't even cook." Gwen said, laughing, "Besides, I'm not hungry."

"Gwen. I'm just trying to take care of you. And, what about ice cream? That's...great for sick people!"

Gwen smiled tiredly, "Ice cream is good." She said, kissing him on the cheek.

"Alright. I'll be back." He slipped his feet into shoes, and slid his keys into his pocket.

"Thank you darling." Gwen said with a smile.

"Your welcome." Arthur nodded, not mentioning how tired he was himself, then left.

Gwen cuddled into her blanket, blinking her heavy eyelids. Her head pounded and she rubbed her temples gently. "I'm sure I'll be fine...tomorrow." She said.

When Arthur returned, she was softly asleep on the couch. After placing her ice-cream in the freezer, and leaving a note where it was, he went down to the chapel.

Gwen slept soundly, her eyelashes fluttering gently. It was an hour or so later when the nightmares started. She hadn't had them in so long she'd thought they had finished. Apparently she was wrong. She tossed, calling out in her sleep, unable to wake herself. She looked terrified.

"Gwen...Gwen, wake up. It was a dream." Arthur soothed. He'd come back from the chapel to find her in that state. His fingers ran ever so softly across her forehead, and still she didn't awake. "Guinevere."

Gwen's head turned and with what seemed like effort, her eyes opened. It took a few minutes for her to focus on Arthur, partially because she was dazed from the dream, and partially because tears were welling up in her eyes. She breathed heavily, as though she'd run a long way. "Just a dream?" She asked him, as though for confirmation.

"Yes." He nodded, using his sleeve to wipe some of her tears. "A dream. Only that."

"It seemed so real though." Gwen said, blinking back more tears that threatened to spill over. Without thinking she moved her body forwards, wrapping her arms around him. She just had to know that he was real.

"Shh." Arthur held her close, and rocked slowly. "You're sick. That's all." A slight kiss on the forehead, and then he was gone into the kitchen. Arthur couldn't help but wonder if he'd disturbed her by leaving for church that morning. Lying wasn't his thing, eventually he'd needed to say something. He came back with a bowl of chocolate ice-cream. "I've also heard, that girls love chocolate when upset."

Gwen smiled, taking the bowl gratefully, "I believe you heard correctly." She said.

He quickly occupied the other side of the couch, stretching his legs out onto the ottoman. "I thought so. So much alike..."

"Gabby?" Gwen asked gently. She had come to recognize when he was remembering. She didn't mind. It was just a thing that happened sometimes. She was used to it now. She ate the ice cream slowly, waiting for a response.

Ouch. The name still hurt, and he couldn't admit it. "No. Uhm...just...girls in general, right?"

"It's okay." Gwen said, looking at him, "I don't mind."

Arthur still couldn't do it. Even after he'd kissed Gwen, let her into his home, and heart, he couldn't let go of the past. "I need to take a walk. Enjoy your ice-cream."

Gwen nodded. If he needed to be alone, that was what he needed. She clutched the bowl and watched him with worried eyes. She couldn't help it.

On the way out, Arthur grabbed his soccer ball, and ran, down thirteen flights of stairs. He didn't even know why he didn't take the elevator. But once on the field, he pounded the ball into the net, harder, and harder, and harder. Little did he know that he could be seen from a window, thirteen flights up.

Gwen sat at the window, cross legged, watching him. Her ice cream was done and now she just watched. She pressed her forehead against the window, enjoying the coolness it delivered. But concern filled her eyes.

Arthur's ball finally hit the post as he missed, and as it bounced back, he managed getting hit in the stomach. "Ow."

Gwen bit her lip, wishing there was something she would be able to say, or do, that would make him feel better. But she didn't think there was, nor would there ever be. The only thing she could do was be there for him.

Finally, after an hour of getting beat up, or beating up himself, Arthur headed back all thirteen flights.

Gwen had fallen asleep again, curled up at the window, blanket wrapped around her, using her arm as a pillow. She looked peaceful, childlike.

"Sleep well." He bit his lip, and fell onto his own bed, exhausted beyond belief. "God knows you need that much, darling."

Gwen wasn't woken by nightmares this time. And when she woke up the next morning, her headache was completely gone. She was slightly confused as to why she was lying beside the window in Arthur's flat at first. But she remembered and sighed. She hoped he was okay.

Arthur opened one eye when she peeked in his bedroom door, which he'd left unlocked on purpose. "Feeling any better?" The bed was a mess, and it was obvious he hadn't really been asleep. One shoe was near the door, and the other was next the window, tossed askew.

Gwen smiled, nodding. Her hair was completely tangled around her head, but she looked a lot better than she had in a few days.

"That's good." Unfortunately, he had seen better days. "I'll order some dinner in a bit."

"Arthur..." Gwen said uncertainly, before pushing the door open more and taking a step in, "Are you alright?"

"Exhausted and in need of a shower would sum it up." Arthur stood. "Maybe you should go home, and we can meet up later."

"Are...are you sure?" Gwen asked. She didn't want to pry but she hated seeing him like this. It seemed like it was tearing him apart. Whatever it was.

"Gwen. Just give me a chance to clean myself and the house up. I'll be fine...okay?" Arthur shook his head. "You don't want to hang out with me when I'm like this, really. I'll force myself to cheer up."

Gwen shook her head, "That's not what you do." She said, "You shouldn't force yourself. If you need to talk...Arthur, you know I'm here."

"Uh-uh. Not when Arthur is such a mess." He flopped back onto the bed, halfway tempted to throw his pillow over his blonde locks. "Please just come back later."

"Arthur, please, talk to me." Gwen said. She wasn't going to let him push her away. Not this time. "You can't keep this to yourself. It'll drive you mad."

"I'm not being driven mad, Gwen. Just having some time and space to myself. Like a grown up person...it's normal." He said that, then realised it might make her upset. "I'm sorry, but sometimes we won't be able to see heart to heart. It just won't work..."

"I'm not giving in on this one." Gwen said. "Arthur, I know you. That sounds ridiculous but I do. I mean, it's been two months since we met and I already feel like I know you better than anyone else. And I can see that whatever it is, whether it's about Gabby or something else, it's eating you up."

"Guinevere." Arthur chuckled. "I am not being eaten by anything." Then the pillow went flop, and flip, and was over his head.

"Please." Gwen said softly, walking to sit near him, "Just...talk to me,"

"No." He continued stubbornly, not wanting to talk to anyone, especially not Guinevere. "Sorry?"

"I'm not leaving until you talk to me." Gwen said. Maybe afterwards, he would figure out she was doing this because she cared about him.

"At least let me clean up!" Arthur pleaded. "I'm a mess. I haven't slept in 24 hours and I haven't showered in that long. Face it, Gwen, I look terrible. Even me doesn't want to talk to me."

"Good thing I'm not you then." Gwen said, raising an eyebrow, but still not moving from her place on the bed.

"I had no idea you were so stubborn." Arthur took the pillow away from his face.

"Likewise." Gwen said, sitting cross legged, "Take your time though. I can wait all night if I have to."

"Gwen. Why are you doing this to me?"

"Because I care about you Arthur!" Gwen was getting exasperated, "I don't know if you can't see that, or if you just don't want to, but I care about you, and I'm worried about you."

"And when a fellow hasn't slept in a day, that really isn't the best time to try and get him to talk." He argued, and stood by the window, thankful he hadn't changed it pajamas. That would have only made the situation more embarrassing.

Gwen covered her face with her hands and started talking again, though her voice was muffled, "Arthur, you're scaring me." She said, "Seriously. I'm tired of playing games with you, pretending you're okay, and that nothing has ever been wrong."

"There is nothing wrong with that!" Arthur exclaimed. "Please, just let me be the one that does the care taking. I don't need to think about the past, let alone talk about."

"But that's the problem!" Gwen said, putting her hands down, "You do need to talk about it! And you can't even admit it!"

"No. I've been this way for a year, nothing-nothing will get me to talk about that day. I can't. Guinevere, you've said that you love me...why cannot you accept that some things are better left hidden?"

"Because when you love someone, you don't hide things from them." Gwen said, tears shining in her eyes, "Because that's how people get hurt."

"I haven't told anyone about that." He said quietly, while thinking. 'Don't cry.' to himself on repeat. "Surely you understand how that feels? Not even my parents know the details of what was going on."

"Which is why you need to tell someone." Gwen said. "Because if you don't it will live inside you like a demon, and it will stay there. And you will never, ever be able to get rid of it." Her voice shook but she kept her composure.

"Gwen, please, don't cry." Arthur came a step closer, and curled his fingers softly around her arm. "Not for me. Come morning, I'll be fine. Everything could be forgotten. Just-don't make me talk." Seeing her cry made him hurt, and he felt like he was leaving her in the dust without even trying.

Gwen stood up, pulling away from his grip. "Whatever." She said, "You want to drown in your own sorrows, fine." She walked to the door, "Just don't expect me to stand around and watch."

"Gwen-" his voice broke. "Why are you doing this to me? No one has ever made me...choose before." His love, and his privacy? How could she want them to be one thing?

"I'm not making you choose." Gwen responded, "I'm trying to help you." Her hand was on the doorknob.

"How is it helping me to tear out my heart by leaving because I don't want to relive the past?" Arthur had thought that some things were better left buried with the person who had died.

"I've already tried to tell you." Gwen said, "It lives inside you and it eats away at you until there is nothing left. Believe me, I know." She pulled open the door, "Call me when you decide you need my help."

Arthur waited, all night, and the entire next day, without gathering the nerve to pick up his phone. Nightmares flashed across his sleepless eyes, until he dialed without knowing what he was doing. "I need a friend."

Gwen was at Arthur's flat within minutes. She wore jeans, a blue top and a shawl wrapped around her shoulders. She knocked on the door and waited.

If he had thought he looked terrible before, now was a waking nightmare. "You do have the key, you know." Arthur nodded.

"I know." Gwen said, "I thought it would be more polite." She walked in and turned to face him, "So talk." She said. The words would have sounded harsh had she not used her gentle tone. She wanted him to talk, and she wanted him to do it quickly, but she also didn't want him to be hurt.

"It was a year ago. She said those were the best three days of her life. They were worst of mine. I thought I died, when she died. The thought of any self harm had been...foreign to me. Especially the idea of someone like Gabby...getting it...to die. It hit me in a blur, and I thought I'd never be the same again."

Arthur had led her to the couch, and when he looked up, he wasn't ashamed to say that he had tears in his eyes.

"But then I met you, Guinevere, and it...was so real. I had never met anyone like you, since her. You were so much alike, that-it both broke my heart and..."

Arthur stopped, feeling like he couldn't continue, and there were a few moments of silence. "But at the same time, it was so- I loved you. Like I did her."

He found himself lost in thought for a moment. "I was going to ask her to marry me, Gwen. I even had the ring."

Gwen had tears in her eyes by the time he was done. She blinked them back though. Just this once, she wanted to be strong for him. Gently, she placed her hands over his. "Arthur." She said gently, "I know this is probably the last thing you want to hear at the moment but...you have to know that it wasn't your fault. No matter what you did, it probably wouldn't have changed anything. She'd probably already made up her mind by that point." She closed her eyes, biting her lip, "I know that probably doesn't sound very comforting."

"No, no." Arthur pulled his hands away. "It was. I wasn't enough for her, or she wouldn't have done that. Everyone says someday I'll have to accept what happened, and move on, but...I can't. And, Gwen, I don't know what's stopping me."

Gwen shook her head, "You have to believe me." She said, "Once someone has made up their mind about something, nothing anyone says can stop them. I know."

"I love you, you know that right?" Arthur said quietly.

Gwen smiled sadly, nodding, "Of course I do." She said, "And I love you."

"But something in me, still loves her Gwen, and I can't go on with you because you're too...perfect." He admitted. "Like a china doll that I don't want to break."

Gwen laughed, "Perfect." She echoed. Standing, she put her hands to her waist and pulled up the hem of her top. Along her stomach lay a line of perfect, straight cuts, "No one is perfect."

"I know. I just wanted to believe that you were, because of everything I've done." Arthur sighed deeply.

Gwen dropped her top, hiding the slices of remorse again. "Everyone is broken inside." Gwen said quietly, "Just...some more than others."

"Some are better at hiding it than others too." He nodded, then looked up. "I have something I need to show you."

Gwen nodded. He knew everything about her. Or almost everything. She figured it was time for him to share something else.

"Just, let me get something first." Arthur disappered into his room, and after changing clothes, dug deep into his drawer. His fingers clenched around the box he'd kept there for a year, without the courage to throw out. For just a bare moment, he opened it, and looked at the ring that glistened inside, then shut it, shoving it into his pocket. "Let's go." He was out the door, feet barely into his shoes. Arthur had needed to do this for a very long time.

Gwen pulled her shawl tighter around her and followed him. She didn't know where he was taking her, but she didn't know what to think.

The car pulled up silently by a graveyard, just as the sunset was appearing in the sky. It didn't take Arthur long to find the right stone, and it was obvious he'd come here often. "Here."

Gwen stood next to Arthur, staring at the stone. Gently, her hand reached out and found his, and she held on gently. She would be there for him.

"Gabriella Mansfield. Beloved daughter, and friend." Arthur read quietly, then knelt down, and reached into his pocket, removing the ring from the box. He gently buried it in the grass, then stood again. "Goodbye."

"Are you okay?" Gwen asked gently. Maybe this had been what he needed all aong.

"I'm fine." Arthur nodded, his voice husky, and tightly squeezed her hand. "I have to be."

Gwen nodded, "As long as you're sure." She said.

He didn't reply, just stood still, and silent, watching the sunset.

Gwen stood beside him, her hand gently on his.

"Let's go...home." Arthur took a deep breath, and began to walk away, almost feeling at peace, for the first time.

Gwen nodded, walking in step with him. She was so happy that he had been able to do this. Maybe now he could begin to move on. If that wasn't with her then fine, but she cared about him enough to want what was good for him. She hoped he would want her to be with him, but if he didn't, she would still stay near him. Be there for him. Always.

Arthur unlocked the door to his house, feeling glad about what he'd done, but somehow lonely after buring his memories and saying goodbye. His voice was quiet when he spoke again. "Make yourself comfortable, darling."

Gwen nodded, sitting down on the couch and pulling her feet up under her as she normally did.

"You alright? You seem quiet." Arthur noted, taking the other side of the sofa, casually. "Really...quiet."

"I'm fine." Gwen said, "I'm happy that you were able to...begin to let go at least." She said. She knew it would take time for him to fully move on.

He nodded. "Yeah...It'll take time. But, you know, maybe-"

"I'm proud of you." Gwen said, smiling. She folded her hands together, looking at him, "I really am."

"I have to leave." Arthur said suddenly. "For work. It will just be temporary. I'm sorry." Feeling bad for how he'd broken it to her, he took up her hands softly.

"It's fine." Gwen said, "I'll probably be back at work tomorrow anyway."

"I was hoping, you know, my assistant-slash-girlfriend would come."

"Or that too." Gwen said, smiling, "Let me go home and get changed."

"I'll be getting ready, by tomorrow." Arthur leaned in and kissed her softly. "Thank you...for everything."

"Don't mention it." Gwen said, smiling. She stood, pulling her shawl around her. It was almost like a comfort blanket now. "I'll be back in a bit." She said.

"Thanks Gwen. For everything." He knew he'd already said it, but felt he couldn't say it enough.

Gwen smiled, turning back briefly to hug him tightly, "You're welcome." She said softly.

"I'll pick you up in the morning, and we can head to the airport. Pack some cool clothes. It might be a bit chilly." He softly kissed her forehead, before letting her go. "You're going to London, Gwen."

Gwen looked ridiculously surprised, "Why am I going to London?" She asked, confused, then suspicious, "Am I missing something here?"

"No, silly. " Arthur laughed. "My father is the English Ambassador to America. I was born there. And that is where our business leads us."

"Ooh!" Gwen said, before smiling happily, "Lovely, I've always wanted to go to England."

"Well, I haven't been there since I was five, but my family has always stressed it that I keep my native accent. I have no idea why, apparently they didn't approve of American...talking." Arthur tugged one of her curls. "Cheerio. I'll see you in the morning."

Gwen smiled, "Night." She said. She went to her flat happily. This was turning out to be a good day after all.


	5. Chapter 5

The alarm rang, and Arthur stirred in his bed two hours earlier than usual. "Uhh..." His fingers had almost found the snooze button to shut up the enormously annoying racket, before two words started popping up into his head. 'London.' 'Gwen.' Arthur got up, tired, but ready to start his day. Two hours later, he appeared at Gwen's.

Gwen opened the door, her curly hair tied back, wearing jeans, a t-shirt and an over-sized but extremely comfortable sweater. She had a suitcase by her side, and a huge smile on her face, "I am so ready for this."

"Good morning, darling." Arthur gave her a warm kiss, then took her suitcase as they headed into the elevator. "You look really excited. I'm glad I invited you."

"It's nice to be going home." Gwen said with a smile, "Even if I don't actually remember anything." She grinned, "I'm English as well, you know. Father moved us here when I was young." As though her accent hadn't given it away.

"I had guessed as much." Arthur chuckled. "Just...never mentioned it." It was no surprised they hadn't mentioned their birthplaces, being so caught up in the events of the last few days, weeks, and months.

Gwen smiled, practically bouncing, "Let's go!" She said, grinning, "Ahh!"

"I'm coming. I'm coming." He couldn't help but grin; her energy was infectious. Lance stowed the luggage in the back of the car, and they reached the airport quickly enough.

Gwen was smiling like crazy. "Oh goodness I haven't been back in forever." She said. The car stopped and she grabbed Arthur's hand, "Come on!"

"Woah." Arthur was abrubtly tugged from his seat, and into the slew of people. "Slow...down."

Gwen laughed, looking over her shoulder as she kept a tight grip on his hand. "Never!" She said, smiling.

"I can't say I will have an easy time keeping up with you on this trip." Arthur said as he was lugged from place to place. "Please, Guinevere. The flight doesn't leave for an hour."

"I know!" Gwen exclaimed, stopping to look at him, "Why is it so long?"

"Because I am not an early bird..." He looked at her like he doubted her sanity for a moment. "I already had to get up at 6:00 for this one."

Gwen grinned, "I actually don't think I slept." She said seriously, "Maybe an hour or so. Probably because I want to sleep on the plane."

"Wow. Well, alright. You can...sleep on the plane." Arthur nodded slowly, now certain his girlfriend was just a little crazy. "I won't disturb you."

Gwen smiled, "I'm calm now, I promise." She said.

"Alright. Alright." Arthur squeezed her hand as they boarded their flight. "But, you might want to get some sleep anyway."

"Maybe." Gwen said, drawing out the word, "Depends on whether you keep me awake or not."

"I was actually, planning on reading, and...reading...yes, reading." Arthur shrugged, stashing their suitcases above in the compartments.

"I suppose reading is fun." Gwen said, "Actually, it is definitely fun." She smiled, "Sleep it is."

"You're telling me you don't like reading?" Arthur placed his hands on his hips, and shook his head playfully making a 'Tsk' sound between his teeth.

"No, I do like reading." Gwen said, covering a yawn, "I just prefer not passing out."

"That would be good to." Arthur nodded, and settled into the chair beside her. "Get your beauty sleep, my love."

Gwen smiled, putting her seatbelt on. She knew she didn't need it yet, but she didn't want to be woken up in order to put it on. She leaned back in the seat and closed her eyes. Kicking off her shoes she pulled her feet up under her and leaned against Arthur gently. Not exactly the most comfortable but it was better than nothing.

He wrapped he right arm around her shoulders, and opened his book. He'd already read it around seven times throughout, but it was a favourite. As he turned through the pages, Arthur realised his arm was getting distinctly sore. He would have moved, but didn't want to wake up Gwen.

"Can I...have a pillow?" The young man asked the nearest attendent.

"Of course." She smiled on the sweet scene, and handed it to him.

Carefully, Arthur removed his arm, and slid the pillow under Guinevere's head. "All...clear." He whispered, and started massaging his pained arm, realising it had been several hours.

Gwen remained asleep until they were about an hour from landing. She woke up slowly, groaning as she lifted her head. Sore neck, of course. Planes were uncomfortable. "Where are we?" She asked Arthur.

"About an hour away." Arthur answered , quite involved in the story his book was telling, and barely looking up at her.

"Right." Gwen said, clearing her throat, "Oh goodness, my neck."

He gently set the book down, aware the the hero was about to kill his enemy, and began massaging her neck. "Any better?"

Gwen sighed, "Yes." She said quietly. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Arthur stopped, and picked up the book again, wanting to finish...although, he knew the ending.

Gwen pulled her hands into her sleeves, then tucked her hands into her pockets. Blinking the blurred sleep out of her eyes.

"Go back to sleep." Arthur said softly. "I'll wake you up when we land."

"I'm not tired anymore." Gwen said, "Keep reading. You look into it."

"I was." He chuckled, then stashing the book in his backpack, picked up her hand and smiled. "But I already know the ending, and if I'm with you, I get to hang on for dear life."

"Not scared of flying are you?" Gwen asked teasingly, "Big bad Arthur?"

"No, of course I'm not scared of flying. I've been flying ever since I was kid." Arthur chuckled."Wait...how am I big and bad?" His brow wrinkled in confusion.

"I'm joking, darling." Gwen said, smiling as she kissed him on the cheek.

"Oh." Arthur nodded, and was tempted to pull out his book again.

Gwen closed her eyes again, rubbing her stomach lightly. It got itchy sometimes...the newer ones did anyway.

"Are you alright?"

Gwen nodded, looking up, "Fine," She said, "Completely."

"No. No, you aren't." Arthur shook his head, his own eyes closed this time, and his voice only a whisper - partially for privacy sake. "This is what you were talking about, the other day."

"Doesn't matter." Gwen said, looking away, out the window, "It doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does." Arthur said calmly. "Guinevere. You know its dangerous."

"Not if you're careful." Gwen said, her voice barely audible.

He knew he had to tread his waters carefully. "Please. You don't see the big picture, Gwen. I've seen it before."

"The big picture?" Gwen repeated, "Making the pain..." Her voice died off and she swallowed, "Making the pain stop is part of the big picture isn't it?"

"Sweetheart, you don't see what can happen." Arthur ran his fingers along the left side of her face. "Please, I couldn't loose you, Gwen."

Gwen turned to look at him, "You don't know how much I wish I didn't have to," She whispered, "I've tried. I promised myself I wouldn't anymore..." Tears welled up in her eyes and she blinked them back, "But there are bad nights. Everyone gets bad nights."

"You know, I had a friend, who used to do that." Arthur remarked.

"And what happened to that friend?" Gwen asked, although she feared the answer.

"He...didn't make it through, Gwen. Aaron died. " Arthur answered.

"I'm sorry," Gwen said, "I really am..." She stopped, biting her lip, "I'm trying, I really am. But it's so hard."

"Please fasten your seatbelts, the plane is now descending."

Arthur didn't reply.

Gwen, who hadn't taken her seatbelt off, simply pulled up her legs and buried her face in her hands.

Arthur didn't speak to her as they gathered their things, and left the plane, nor as they got into the taxi. All he could think about was that she doing something that would lead her to her death, someday. If she died, he didn't know what he'd do. Probably breakdown.

Gwen stayed quiet too, staring at her hands as the taxi took them towards their hotel. She didn't know what she could say. There was nothing, really. This was her problem. She had to deal with it alone. That's what she thought, anyway.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything." Arthur said as he handed her a room key. "You're right beside me. I'll be there, if you need anything. My first week is busy, until the evenings, but I left our evenings free."

Gwen nodded, taking the key silently, and carrying her suitcase into her room. "Thank you." She said, before walking inside.

"Wait, Gwen!" Arthur hurried in after her. "I thought you'd forgive me. I am sorry. "

Gwen turned to look at him, "There's nothing to forgive you for." She said, not meeting his eyes, "You haven't done anything wrong."

"Obviously, I hurt you, or you'd be looking at me right now." Arthur continued, not realising quite how well his voice carried in the empty room. "And...let's go somewhere more private..."

Gwen put her arms over her stomach, a protective gesture that she almost didn't notice herself doing. "Alright." She said, nodding. But it really wasn't him. She was disappointed with herself. She felt this was her fault. Why else would he be looking at her as though she was broken?

He placed his hand softly on her back, and seeing as he'd already checked them in beforehand, it was easy to find the privacy of their adjoining rooms.

Gwen turned away from him to look out the window, waiting. She wouldn't be the first to speak.

"I'm sorry. I don't what else I can say. Please forgive me...I was wrong to bring that up." Arthur joined her, trying to find what she was staring at, but found nothing.

"I already told you I'm not angry with you," Gwen said, "I don't need to forgive you, because you haven't done anything wrong. Caring isn't a sin."

"Please, Gwen. Maybe...sometimes I care a little too much. Perhaps a week of some time apart in the city will be good. You'll be able to relax...while I work." Arthur sighed, pulling her to his chest with a hug, and fiddling with her brown curls. "It might be good."

Gwen nodded, pressing her face against his chest gently. Time apart was probably the last thing she needed right now, but she agreed.

"I'll show you where my office is, in case you ever need me. I promise, I will pick up the phone, and we can have all of our evenings together this week." As she clung to him, he could tell she was a little nervous. "I promise. You'll be fine. If I didn't think so, I'd find a job."

Gwen nodded, closing her eyes, "You promise you'll pick up?" She asked, her voice faint. She just needed the confirmation that he would be there for her.

"I promise. Every time." Arthur's voice was sure, but he was a little nervous about that. The job in London was a big one, and he couldn't say it wasn't important. "Every, single, solitary time, my love."

Gwen nodded, opening her eyes, "I'll leave to your work," She said, "I know it's important."

"No, please stay with me." He kissed her forehead. "I have a feeling I'll need you tonight. For support."

Gwen nodded. Suddenly, she wanted to be alone, but if he needed her, she would stay. That's what she did, wasn't it? Put on a brave face for people.

"But after everything." Arthur moved away, and sat down on the couch. "It's fine, if you don't want to be with me. I can just a walk."

"If you need me to stay." Gwen said, forcing a smile that seemed genuine, "I'll stay."

"No, please. I understand." Arthur rubbed his temples, which were pounding. "Get some rest. I want you to-enjoy...yourself."

"If you're sure." Gwen said, standing. She took her room key and started to leave, "I'm there if you need me." She said, before leaving. Once in her room she climbed onto the bed, still fully dressed. Letting the tears she could no longer hold back flow, she curled herself into a ball and cried until she fell asleep.

Arthur didn't know what he'd done, but he was sorry. "I'm sorry." He whispered, and ended up falling asleep in frong of the same window, watching the street, from thirteen flights up.

Gwen woke up in the middle of the night. Jet lag was a killer. She felt better, marginally, and slid off the bed to sit in front of it, leaning against the cushioned mattress before turning on the TV. She switched to some comedy show and watched, not really absorbing anything.

Arthur slept through the night, eventually sleep walking to the bed, counting himself fortunate the next morning for slamming into minimal pieces of furniture.

By six o'clock, his alarm was going off again, and he had to get ready for work. Just before leaving the hotel, he pulled out his cellphone, and left her a message.

"Goodmorning Gwen, and it is your first morning in London. I'm going to work, but I just wanted to let you know I love you, and I'll be back by 9'o clock. "

Gwen let the phone ring until it went to message before checking it. She didn't want to talk to anyone at the moment. And she was staying away from anything sharp. She took a bath. A really, really long bath. She read about half of the huge book she'd brought with her before getting out and putting on red pajama pants and a black, form fitting top that made her look rather curvy. She would ask Arthur if they could just stay in the hotel, watch a movie. Tomorrow she would explore.

Arthur went through his day's work, not completely at an office, but working with various people in counsels and interviews. He slowly began to enjoy himself again, and actually got a few compliments. On the way home, he stopped and bought some flowers for Gwen, knowing she was still a little upset about what he'd said. There had to be something he could do.

Gwen was ready at 8:30. If ready meant not tired, and not angry, then ready she was. Her hair was pinned back, and she was still in her pajamas. She was sticking to her plan.

"Gwen..." Arthur softly knocked on the door, hiding the flowers behind his back. "Hey, I brought you something."

Gwen came to the door and pulled it open, smiling. She hadn't eaten all day but she wasn't hungry. "Arthur." She said.

"Daises." He said simply in reply, holding the bouquet out to her. "Your favourite."

Gwen smiled, taking the blooms with a huge smile, "Thank you." She said, smelling them, "You are wonderful."

"I thought you'd still be mad at me." Arthur said quietly. "And I know you liked them."

"I told you, I'm not mad at you." Gwen said, turning to find a glass or something to put the flowers in. She looked over her shoulder, as he stepped in the door. "Do you mind if we stay here tonight?" She asked, "Watch a movie or something?"

"Sure, whatever you'd like." He shrugged, and pulled a vase out of a cupboard she'd abandoaned. "Here."

"Oh, thanks." Gwen said, smiling as she went to fill it with water and then put the flowers in. She put it on the middle of the bedside table, smiling. "Sorry," She said, not looking at him, "About yesterday. I didn't mean to make it seem like I was angry at you."

"No, it's fine." Arthur shot her a smile. "Really. Do you think my opinion of you is that biased?"

"Well," Gwen said, "It's just that...when Alex found out..." She motioned to the scar on her arm, "He said he would help me out. Make it faster." She shrugged, "That's all."

"And Arthur is not Alex." He reasoned.

"I know that." Gwen said, "Trust issues don't seem to see that though."

"It will take time, and I'm willing to wait." He gently took her hand, pressing it to his cheek. "I promise, I'll still be here."

Gwen nodded, "Thank you." She said quietly, before clearing her throat, "Okay, no more chick flick moments. Let's watch a movie."

"Alright. But let's just be clear...your saying you don't like it when I...make romantic gestures?" Arthur looked genuinly confused now, as he softly dropped her fingers. "As in...we're...friends?"

"No, I love the romantic gestures." Gwen said, "I just don't like emotional talks." She rose onto her toes, kissing him, "I love you."

"Right...okay." Arthur settled down onto the couch again. "Well, you know, I let you pick."

"And I always pick action movies." Gwen said with a grin, "Because I like to watch things ex-plode."

"Sometimes, I really don't get you..." Arthur shook his head, still confused, but laughing softly.

"Good." Gwen said, "I like to keep you on the edge. It's more exciting."

"Mhm." He said quietly, hugging a pillow he'd found.

Gwen smiled partially, " I am sorry, Arthur." She said, "For being like this."

"It's fine." His reply was quiet. "You've always put up with me. My antics aren't easy to deal with, either."

Gwen smiled, "I've never had anyone stay around long enough to put up with me." She said, flipping channels.

"You deserve better than people constantly walking out on you, Gwen." Arthur was going to say more. "Oh, but you don't like the long...emotional...talks. I'll quit."

Gwen smiled, "Thank you." She said, before finally turning the TV off. "Never mind a movie." She said, "I just want to be with you."

"If you don't want me to talk..." Arthur chuckled, and crossed his feet. "I'll just sit here, cuddling my pillow, I guess."

"Or you could sit here, cuddling me." Gwen suggested, moving closer.

"I'm up for that too." Arthur nodded.

Gwen smiled, moving herself gently into his arms.

Arthur wrapped himself around her, and pulled her close. "Have I told how lovely you look tonight?"

"No you haven't." Gwen said with a smile, cuddling against him, "But it's definitely nice to hear."

"Well I'm glad, because it is completely true." His blue eyes sparkled like they always did when he got time with her. "You always look beautiful."

"Thank you." Gwen said, "And you, of course, always look like someone that shouldn't look twice at me," She smiled, "Way out of my league." She was clearly teasing him.

"Gwen!" He laughed. "Don't. Just...don't. I love you."

Gwen laughed, her body shaking against his, "I love you too." She said. Happy. That's what she was.

"I love you too." Arthur tugged one of her curls playfully.

"I love you too...too." Gwen said, grinning.

"I'd go on but this is crazy." He chose a flower from the vase, and tucked it into her ponytail.

Gwen smiled, "You're crazy." She retorted.

Arthur blinked, innocently, and pointed to himself. "Moi?"

"Oui." Gwen responded, grinning.

That was the honest, and bare extent of his French. "Fine, I'm crazy." He laughed. "But let's

"Neither do I." Gwen said, her giggles out of control, as she was lost in his eyes, "I took french classes for five years and that's about all I know. We're hopeless."

"Hopeless in love." Arthur kissed her, and didn't let go of the moment.


	6. Chapter 6

Gwen woke up the next morning slightly confused. She was sure Arthur had been there the night before, but he was gone now. Maybe he'd already gone to work. Regardless, she rolled over on the bed and curled into a ball, enjoying the warmth

Arthur was down in the hotel's coffee shop, enjoying his breakfast, while letting Gwen sleep. She'd looked so cute, all curled into the blankets, her hair askew on the pillows. It would be better to let her sleep, he'd decided.

Gwen woke up again about half an hour later, rolling over onto her back and sitting up, rubbing her eyes. After blinking a few times she shuffled to the edge of the bed, and let her feet dangle down before standing. The bed was so high that when she sat on the edge her feet dangled a good foot off the floor. It made her feel like a child, but the bed was so comfortable she didn't mind.

Arthur actually forgot to knock before coming in the door. "Good morning!" He said cheerily, handing her a blueberry muffin, cup of iced tea, and bowl of strawberries. "I brought you breakfast."

"Muffin!" Gwen exclaimed happily, taking the bundle of food. She put down the iced tea and strawberries for later, and started to nibble on the top of the pastry, "No work today?" She asked.

"I start in an hour." Arthur kissed her forehead, and sat down on the bed beside her. "But, I wanted to see you, dearest."

Gwen smiled, breaking off a piece of muffin, "Open," She said, grinning.

"I already had my breakfast." Arthur snickered

"Nope," Gwen said, sticking her tongue out between her teeth. She was still holding the muffin in front of him. She kissed his cheek quickly, "Come on." She drew out the last word, smiling. "Nah, I'm kidding," She said, eating the piece. She grinned, bumping her shoulder against his.

"You always do that when you want something." Arthur sighed, still smiling, simply because she was adorable. "I can't skip work today, Gwen, you know that. I'm sorry. I'd spend all day...with you...if I could."

Gwen smiled, "Don't worry about it." She said, "I'll see you tonight, right?" She really was fine with it. "Today, I shall explore the unknown land of London."

"Be careful." He nodded, only able to trust his instinct.

Her reply was simple and cheeky. "I'm always careful."

"I would want you to get kidnapped or anything, and ruin my surprise this evening." Arthur stood, yawning.

Gwen instantly straightened, "Surprise?" She repeated, looking as if she'd either had too much sleep, or too much caffeine, "What surprise?"

"Because...you do like surprises." He said slowly, still unable to stop his yawns, and wishing a portion of her energy would rub off on him.

"How much sleep did you get, beautiful?" Her persona changed slightly from energetic to sweet and caring as she smoothed the blonde hair out of his eyes.

Arthur sheepishly avoided her gaze as his arms went around her shoulders. "Not much..."

"And why would that be?" Gwen asked, still stroking his hair gently.

"Oh...stop." He groaned. "You're just making-" A yawn interrupted. "-me more tired."

Gwen blushed, "Sorry." She said quietly, dropping her hand.

"It's fine." His eyes were closed as he leaned against the bed. "I got four hours, and lots of coffee to work off of today."

"Well, tonight you are going to sleep." Gwen said, "But right now you should leave before you're late."

"Alright..." Arthur chuckled. "Have a lovely day. I am sure you will enjoy London." He bent down, and kissed her before heading to the office.

Gwen looked wistful, watching him leave. "And now to do things." She said. She got dressed quickly, then tied her hair up before leaving.

That evening, Arthur came back to the hotel, strangely appearing more energized than that morning. It was something that he blamed on, 'Way too much Coffee and Energy Drinks'. Still, he insisted she be blindfolded, as she was led to his apartment. "Now, it is your turn."

"My turn for what?" Gwen asked, walking like an idiot with her arms out in front of her.

"A surprise." He shut the door behind them. "And you don't have to keep walking like a penguin, I've got you. That is...if you trust me."

"Of course I trust you," Gwen said, dropping her arms, "Just...what's happening?"

"Nothing crazy. Just...something you didn't know about me. Something most people don't know." Arthur admitted, leading her to the couch.

Gwen, still not being able to see, sat patiently, waiting.

Arthur chuckled, watching her small feet bounce up and down in the soft carpet, the way they did when she was nervous. He sat down beside her, and picked up the guitar he'd left there, after practicing all night. He'd left the hobby behind a year ago, and nearly forgotten it.

As the music filled the room, he quietly said. "You can take blindfold off."

Gwen reached up and took the blindfold off, biting her lip. She dropped it, opening her eyes, and she lit up. "Oh..." Was all she could manage.

He reddened, and quickly set it down, coming to an abrupt stop as if he was embarrassed.

"No, no," Gwen said, "No I...love...it, keep playing...please?"

"I haven't in a while..." He shrugged. "In fact, I almost forgot about it."

"I won't laugh if you mess up." Gwen said sweetly, noticing the blush that decorated his cheeks. "I swear."

"I know, I know." Arthur said quietly, and ruffled her hair, trying to lighten the mood. "It just makes me think...playing again, I mean."

Gwen pulled her feet up beside her, looking at him, "Gabby?" She couldn't help but be curious. It seemed there was so much to know, and so few times that they'd shared.

"A bit I suppose. I used to always do my thinking when I played, you see. Last night was quite...well, a long...long night." Arthur remarked.

"Is that why you weren't there when I woke up?" Gwen asked, her brow wrinkling.

"I was actually getting some coffee, so that I could be awake enough to say good morning." He said. "But, you've said, so much that's...helped me. And I love you in so many ways. I don't know...does that...make sense?" Arthur felt like he was swimming in the entire ocean, while trying to express himself.

"Of course I do." Gwen said, putting her hand gently on his cheek, her gaze meeting his as soft assurance. "Of course."

"Thanks."

Gwen closed her eyes and put her forehead against his, pausing for a moment, relishing it. There was so much she wanted to say and not quite enough words.

The next day, Gwen'd had so many plans. So many...exciting plans. But her phone rang. And worse, she'd picked it up. "Hello?" She asked, voice bright.

"Where the hell are you?"

She recognized the voice and her face went pale, "Alex." She said, her voice shaking, "How did you get this number?"

"What, you think you can just run off without me knowing?" The following conversation was probably the worst Gwen had ever had. By the time he had hung up, she was in tears. Her whole body shook with the force of them, and before she knew what she was doing, she was stumbling to her bag. Her hand reached in and closed around the folded pocket knife that she always kept with her. It would make the pain stop. She knew it would help her. But she'd promised Arthur...Arthur. Her next reach was for her phone. Her fingers were shaking so badly that it took her three attempt to dial but finally she called his number, her other hand still clutching the knife.

Arthur's phone buzzed in his pocket two or three times before he remembered his promise to Gwen. "Excuse me." He stood, in the middle of the very important meeting. "I really...really do have to take this."

The board director's expression was unpleasant, but with a wave of the hand, he dismissed the young man.

"Gwen?" He asked into the phone. "Guinevere, you know...I-" He didn't continue, and the story she shook out to him was enough he knew he had to be with her. "Please. Drop the knife, Gwen. Drop it." Arthur was on the phone for a half an hour, to no avail.

Finally, a knock came on the door of the empty conference room he'd slipped into, and he rubbed his temples, a major headache coming on. Another employee slipped in the door. "The boss says if you don't drop the phone right now, you're off the board."

"I can't! I'm-"

"Look, Arthur, I'm sorry."

"Tell him, I quit." Arthur bit his lip, and walked quickly out the door, running down the stairs and to his car.

Gwen's hand slipped, the phone dropping from her hand. Without even realizing it, she'd opened the knife. She rocked in place, clutching it in her hand. "Arthur." She whispered, "Please."

Arthur's feet tapped impatiently on the floor of the rented car, and as soon as they reached the hotel, he was running up more flights of stairs, and in six minutes had finally reached the door to her apartment. In slid the card key, and he ran in the door. "Gwen. Drop it." Arthur's approach was almost cautious, as one would approach an injured animal. "I'm here, but I need you to let go of the knife."

Ever so slowly, he came closer, until he could take it from her weak grip, and wrap his arms around her quivering shoulders.

"Oh ,God, I'm sorry." Gwen whispered, her whole body shaking against his, "I made you leave, I'm sorry." Her eyes were squeezed shut, her arms wrapped around him, "I shouldn't have called, I should have just waited." Her sobs were to the point where her breaths came in gasps and she was having trouble talking through them.

"Shh. Shh." Arthur had managed to remain calm, and gently rubbed his fingers along her back. "Just breath. Focus on one thing at a time, Gwen." He held her close while her sobs had settled into soft cries on his chest, and at this point he finally felt it was time to understand what had happened. "Guinevere," Arthur still tried to keep the steady undertone to his voice, though he felt the situation was beyond urgent. "I need to know what happened. I couldn't understand a bare word on the telephone. Please."

He'd moved her to the couch, where he could look into her eyes. "What gave you such a relapse?"

"Alex," Gwen managed after a heaving breath, "I don't know how he found my number, but he called me." She shook her head, moving back, away from him, to hold out her clenched fist. Blood seeped between her fingers. "It was an accident." She whispered, "Something scared me, and my fingers slipped." She opened her hand to show the cut there, "I really didn't mean to."

Arthur took a few tissues from the box on the table nearby, and gently pressed them over the cut. They quickly turned red with the blood flow, and he fetched a paper towel from the kitchen. "How badly does this hurt, Gwen?" Arthur's tone was still kind, as he wondered how deep the knife had sunk in her despair.

"I can't feel it." Gwen said, face pale. Tears still ran down her face, though they were a lot tamer than they had been. "I'm sorry." She whispered. She felt like she'd let him down, which only made her feel worse.

"Listen to me, Gwen." He took her face in his hands. "You are going to be alright."

Gwen nodded, her eyes travelling around his face, looking everywhere. She was rocking herself back and forth, still crying.

"Come here." Arthur lifted her back into his arms, and a comforting embrace, where she could just sob on his shoulder. He didn't mind at all. She needed him, and he wanted to be there.

"God, I made you leave during your meeting." She said after a few moments of silence, "Did I get you in trouble?"

He didn't answer.

"I did." Gwen said her eyes big and pitiful, "I'm so sorry."

"I needed to be here for you. It was more important than anything else."

"I got you in trouble though." She whispered, "I could have waited for you."

"Guinevere." He gently chided.

"I could have." Gwen said her hand that wasn't bleeding clutching at his arm, so hard he could feel the fingernails.

"Don't excite yourself." Arthur smoothed some of her brown curls out of her eyes. "Everything will be fine. I swear."

"I'm okay." Gwen said, nodding. Her hand was still bleeding, but that was beside the point, "You should go back to work."

"Gwen." Arthur sighed, and ran his fingers through his blonde hair. "There really isn't a point now."

"Why?" Guinevere was still curled up on his chest, like a miserable child. "What happened?"

"I walked out." He said simply.

"Arthur, no." Gwen asked, "You shouldn't have done that."

"I had to make sure you would be alright. I could just stand there, waiting, and know that something might happen." Arthur clenched his lips together tightly, in an effort to stop himself from quivering. "I couldn't stand by and watch you hurt."

"Thank you." Gwen replied, her voice quiet. She closed her eyes, tears clinging to her eyelashes.

"I needed you in my life more than I ever needed to be on the London Consulate, Gwen." Arthur wanted to make himself clear to her.

Gwen was shaking against him still. "I've ruined everything. I'm sorry."

"Hey," Arthur said softly, trying to cheer her up. "Change is not ruin. Once we get back to New York, everything will resume as normal."

"I thought this was really important though." Gwen's teeth chattered from what were either nerves or fear.

"It was. But nothing is more important than having you with me."

"Thank you." She could barely talk, through her shaking.

"Maybe you should sleep." Arthur kissed her forehead, and pulled a throw blanket from the couch arm, placing it across her shoulders. "We have the suites for another week, so that's plenty of time to explore. And right now..." His lips curved up in a soft, compassionate smile. "My love needs a nap."

"Will you stay?" Gwen asked. Maybe she was asking too much of him. But at the moment, she didn't care. She needed him with her.

"As you wish." He nodded, lay her down on the couch, taking a chair across from it. "Sweet dreams."

"Thank you." Gwen whispered. She closed her eyes but stayed awake from several more hours. When she finally did fall asleep it was to horrible nightmares that kept her tossing and turning. All of them seemed to involve Alex.

When Arthur noticed her wakefulness, he hesitantly pulled out his guitar, and played a peaceful song, slowly watching her relax.

Gwen didn't know when the guitar music started, nor when it stopped, but she knew it helped. If nothing else, it told her that Arthur was indeed still there. And he always would be.

Arthur woke up a few hours later, after having a very nice nap. He didn't sleep so well during travel. His eyes settled on the couch, which seemed strangely...empty. "Gwen?" Arthur stood, wondering where she was, and hoping she was okay. The water was running in the bathroom, so he knocked. "You alright?"

Gwen winced as the hot water ran over her cut. She heard Arthur's knock and jumped. She'd been rather jumpy. She opened the door, holding her injured hand over the sink. "I'm fine." She said, looking faint, "Just...trying to wash this out."

"Don't hurt yourself." Arthur said quietly. "Here." He took a washcloth from the hook on the wall, and began to gently smooth away some of the blood that had dried on her hand while she was sleeping.

Gwen winced, "Ow." She said quietly, looking as his hands gently worked to clean her cut.

"Sorry." Arthur apologized, and dried it off. "We should get you a bandage." He shut off the water, and forced a small smile. "Meanwhile, would you like some dinner?"

"What time is it?" Gwen asked by way of a response. She honestly hadn't thought to look.

"Six o'clock." He replied.

"I can call room service." Gwen offered, "They'll probably bring up some bandages if I ask nicely."

"No need." Arthur said, as he found a first aid kit stashed in the bathroom cupboard. "But, I am very hungry."

"Room service then?" Gwen asked.

"It is that or pizza...again." He chuckled. "And I know what you think of me eating that all the time. So let's go for option one."

"Should I just ask for the special?" Gwen asked, walking towards the phone, "Or is there anything specific?"

"Not really. You can pick. As long as you eat."

Gwen nodded, picking up the phone. It seemed almost silly to her that she was trying to act so normal. It was more for Arthur's sake than her own though. She couldn't let him know how broken she felt.

He noticed how she stood still, her face almost completely blank, and dropped what he was doing. With a sigh, he put his arms around her again. "You don't have to pretend for me."

"I'm not pretending anything." Gwen replied, her voice light as she dialed, "Really."

"I won't believe that. But I'll pretend I do, and say, 'Ok'."

"Thank you." Gwen said. That was all she needed at that moment. Mushy talking never helped.

"Just...promise me you'll eat something. To keep up your strength" Arthur said, and turned away. He didn't even have any work to finish, after basically being fired that morning.

"Course, Arthur" Gwen said, "I'm hungry anyway."

"Good." He was quiet, almost musing to himself. "Do you want me to take you home? I can do that."

"No." Gwen said, "We still have a few days here. May as well enjoy it, right?"

"Right..." Arthur said, still lost in thought. "I just thought you'd be more comfortable at home."

"Arthur, I don't want this trip to be ruined because of me." She replied, sounding almost harsh.

"It isn't!" He shot back. "But I brought you here, to make you happy...as a place of escape, and it seems it's only been worse."

"It's not because of the trip though." Gwen said, "It's because of..." Her voice died off, "Anyway, I just want to forget about that and have a good time."

"Gwen, I can't forget about anything, or anyone that is hurting my girl. You are more important to me than anything in this world." Arthur finally looked up, meeting her eyes.

"There's nothing you can do about him though." Gwen said, putting the phone back down.

"There has to be something." He wasn't going to give up, and standby watching the man hurt someone he loved so much.

"Like what?" Her tone was dry, and he could nearly tell what she was thinking.

"I know. You've heard it all before. I just wish I could help you. I'm sorry-" Arthur held up his hands, with a sigh.

"Stop it." Gwen said, "Stop apologizing. It's not your fault."

Arthur bit his lip. "I...am going for a walk. I'll be back later."

"Alright." Gwen said, turning and rubbing her pounding temples

"Get some rest, and...have something to eat." He barely remembered to grab his coat on the way out the door.

"Right." Gwen said, only wanting to curl up in bed, and switch out the light on her problems.


	7. Chapter 7

A few days later, after finally coming home to New York City, and giving a goodbye to their hometown, Arthur and Gwen found that they'd been so caught up in everything they'd forgotten it would soon be Christmas. Still, work kept him glued to the office for a few days before he could finally drag her up to his apartment with a big grin on his face. "Com'on, com'on! I really think you're going to enjoy this." He was bouncing on his toes from both cold, and excitement. "A tradition my family used to have."

"What?" Gwen was singing the word over and over again. She had recovered from the minor cloud of depression that had hung over her since London. Christmas always brought out the best in her.

He laughed, and opened the door. Near the window was a Christmas tree, still undecorated, and around it were boxes and boxes of ornaments. "See? We used to do this every year."

"Oh my goodness, I haven't decorated a tree in years!" Gwen exclaimed, laughing.

"Me either. But, I thought I'd like to start again, and who better to do it with than the person you love most?" Arthur smiled up at her, from where he knelt, opening a box.

Gwen smiled, kneeling beside him to open another box. "Where did you even get this tree?" She asked, "It's huge."

"There was a tree lot, in Central Park." Arthur said, as he pulled out a little star shaped one that was more or less...a star. "Oh look. Dad says I made this when I was a kid."

Gwen grinned, "It's adorable." She said. Her eyes widened and her mouth formed a small 'o'. "Wait here." She said, "I left something in my flat. I'll be right back." She stood and practically ran towards the door, and out.

"Alright." Arthur shrugged, baffled by her current state of rambunctiousness, and hung the star on the tree.

Gwen returned a few minutes later, much faster than she could have thought possible, breathing heavily. She held a small cardboard box in her hand, which she opened as she walked in. "I haven't been able to put this up." She said, "Because I haven't had a tree but..." From the inside of the box she removed a small, delicate glass ballerina. "My mother gave it to me."

"That's beautiful." Arthur nodded, as she hung it near the top. "Do you like to dance?"

"Dangerous." She said, giving a mock shudder, "Very dangerous. Especially to all the other little ballerinas."

"We'll settle at dangerously adorable, then?" Arthur peeped, a mischievous look in his eye.

"Fine." Gwen couldn't hold a snicker as she rose up onto her toes and kissed him.

Arthur chuckled, and kissed her back. "Could it be possible to love you more?" Then, he chose a string of lights from another box, and began to wrap them around the great pine. "There are probably enough decorations for both apartments, not only trees."

"Yay!" Gwen exclaimed, her eyes lighting up like the lights did, when he plugged them into an outlet. A million small sparkles all joining into a masterpiece. "I am definitely a fan of sparkly things."

"Dig around." He shrugged, and began roping the lights. "I'm sure there are sparkles. My Mum used to love such things...but, then we just...stopped decorating."

Gwen dug through a few boxes and emerged with a triumphant cry, holding an armful of bright red tinsel. "I live for these things."

"They always made me itchy." He rolled his eyes, but couldn't help but grin as she pulled out more tinsel, nearly being buried alive in the festive colors.

"But they're so _sparkly_!" Gwen exclaimed, "Besides, you don't have to touch them."

"They still make me itchy." Arthur stuck out his tongue in protest. "But they certainly do sparkle!"

"Then we can save them for my flat." Gwen nodded.

"Deal." He honestly couldn't wait to get rid of them. "And then you can keep them for the rest of eternity." Distracted by tinsel jokes, Arthur somehow got himself stuck in the lights, and sighed. "Gwen? A little help?"

Gwen laughed and put the tinsel down again, going over to Arthur. "How you manage to do these things I have no idea."

"I didn't manage!" The young man was literally shaking with laughter. "I'm stuck!"

Gwen laughed, "I meant how you manage to tangle yourself up in a string of Christmas lights." She started to untangle him, but he kept fidgeting. "Keep still!"

Arthur complied, turning a red that resembled the shade on one of the strings of the Christmas tinsel she'd pulled from the box. "Yes, ma'm."

Gwen smiled, carefully unwinding the lights. "Um..."

He finally got himself out with her help. "Thanks...well, that was a bit...embarrassing..."

Gwen loved his awkwardness, "You are hilarious."

"Thank you?" Arthur really wished the red flush on his face would dissipate, even just a little bit.

Gwen, after finally getting him completely untangled, kissed his cheek gently.

He smiled. "Now. Let's get this tree done."

"Jolly good plan!" Gwen said with a grin.

The weeks of the holidays passed by all too quickly for the little couple, and precious moments were spent and cherished, before the vanished like the snowflakes that melted on their tongues. Soon enough, Christmas Eve was upon them, and Arthur happily complied with Gwen's wishes of staying up until it was 'Officially Christmas'. It was far past midnight by the time their party-of-two was over, and she'd fallen asleep on the couch before long. It was around eight the next morning that Arthur peeked out his bedroom door nervously hoping she was still there. Gwen softly tossed in her sleep, and he smiled a bit, a few of the butterflies in his stomach abating. Trying not to wake her, he quietly assumed a place on the edge of the couch. Ever so carefully, Arthur pulled her left hand from underneath her body, and slipped an engagement ring onto her finger. He squeezed the fingers softly and just as she opened her eyes, found the courage to ask. "Marry me?"

Gwen woke up to muddled thoughts and an extremely handsome face. Her left hand was being held and there was a new pressure on her finger. She looked down and saw the ring, shining, and heard Arthur's question. The breath was pushed from her lungs as a flurry of emotions passed over her. Then she launched forwards, hugging Arthur hard. "Yes." She whispered in his ear.

Relief poured over him, and his eyes shone as her thin arms wrapped his shoulders. Arthur couldn't stop the grin from spreading out over his face, and though that, perhaps, it would be there for a very long time.

Gwen let go and kissed him gently on the lips. "You are my life, Arthur Pendragon."

Arthur's radiant smile was the only answer that was necessary. "And you mine." He pulled her close onto his chest. "And Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas Arthur." Gwen replied. "A very, merry Christmas."

Arthur did his best to help Gwen be comfortable as they drove out towards the suburbs of New York for Christmas dinner with his family, but he could tell she was nervous.

"They're normal. Really, they won't hurt you. Promise." Arthur had said. It didn't help that he'd not seen them in two years. Soon, a white mansion flashed up behind a grove of trees. It looked almost like something from a story book.

Various cars had arrived, and people were being helped from them by chauffeurs, and servants.

"Fancy." Gwen said, smiling nervously. She'd dressed up slightly, a black dress, form fitting, to her knees. It was probably the fanciest thing she owned, and she still felt out of place.

"You look beautiful." Arthur helped her from the car, and gently pressed his lips to her tan forehead. "Trust me, I'll be by your side the entire time."

"Thank you." Gwen said, taking hold of his hand. "And I'm here for you. You know that, don't you?"

"I do." Arthur squeezed her hand, and led her forwards. "Forever."

An older gentleman and a very distinguished looking lady rushed towards them a few moments later. Together, Arthur noticed. _'Oh, no. This cannot be good.' _They reached him at the same time, and both grabbed on his hands, shooting fiery looks at each other that certainly couldn't be described as Christmas Spirit.

"Mum...Dad." Why had he brought Gwen? Emotional support, probably.

Gwen followed behind, more than slightly confused. These two people did not look like loving, caring parents. Not that Gwen had been expecting that.

"Please. You will both get your fair share of time with me...Yes...that's a promise." Arthur shot Gwen a look of desperation, as he was almost dragged away. "I know I was gone, but I needed some time to be alone."

He looked back again, and mouthed. 'Help me.'

Gwen, not knowing what else to do, moved forwards. "Hi." She said, putting on that even felt false, "I'm Guinevere. Everyone calls me Gwen...though." She said it almost like a question. She was unsure of herself.

Arthur politely tugged his fingers from his mother's surprisingly hard grip, and took Gwen's hand in his own. "Gwen and I have been spending a lot of time together over the past few months, and I thought Christmas wouldn't be a better time to...introduce her to the family."

The pair of older adults composed themselves, and gave forced smiles to Arthur's unknown fiancée, while their eyes still shot daggers at one another.

"It is lovely to meet you, Guinevere." Arthur's father finally came around to showing some hospitality, and shook her hand. "You are welcome to share our Christmas."

Arthur stood quietly, and watched his mother walk off in a huff. She never liked to be bested in public situations, but the divorce made it harder on all of them.

"I'm sorry. I thought would different." He finally said when they got inside, and a butler was taking their coats. "I thought...maybe they'd finally...changed."

"You can't expect people to change." Gwen said with a sigh, "Because people do whatever they want, and they don't care what other people think." She shrugged, "I'm sure we'll be able to make the best of it though."

Arthur put an arm around her shoulders, and frowned "I shouldn't have forced you into this." There were people watching, or he'd of kissed her, there and then. It would be easier to let his family into it lightly, he figured. "But I promise. Our life doesn't have to be like theirs."

"And it won't be." Gwen replied, "Besides, you didn't force me into anything. If I hadn't wanted to come, I wouldn't have. We're going to enjoy ourselves, and I'm sure your parents will be happy for you."

He could only hope. Arthur's parents weren't exactly the kindest people in the world, especially his mother. But his life was a profit of his own decisions, he decided, and it was much better that way. It would hurt, but he needed Gwen. If they didn't approve of her, he'd face the consequences, far before he'd think of leaving her.

Gwen gently linked her arm with Arthur's. She didn't know how much he wanted to tell his parents right now, but she wanted him to know she was right there with him.

The house was swarming with people, mostly relatives that all wanted a word with him. The young man tried to keep it short and simple, but quickly felt himself getting overwhelmed. It was getting dark finally, and Arthur excused himself out onto the porch.

Gwen had remained mostly to herself. She knew she didn't fit in with these people, and they didn't seem to accept her. So when she saw Arthur make his way out onto the porch, she followed him, walking up beside him quietly, then turning and pulling herself up to sit on the railing.

"Lonely?" Arthur looked at the sky, taking in a deep breath of the night air and looking up at her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get pulled away." He couldn't seem to shake the guilt. If he felt lost with these people, he could only imagine how she felt.

"It completely fine." Gwen said. It was really, not completely fine as she said. But she was holding her own. "How're you doing?"

"Lost. I really don't belong here, Gwen. All my life, I'd been searching for who I was, and I found that when I was with you, not with them." He blinked. "Still. We'll need to tell them."

"And when will that be?" Gwen asked, looking at him, "We don't have to do it tonight."

"Whenever you'd like. But I can't say I will be...looking forwards to getting together with them again." Arthur blinked, and looked up at her, then made sure no one was around before he put an arm around her shoulders and tenderly locked his lips into hers.

Gwen, who was still sitting on the porch railing, leaned down to kiss him, the old thrill lighting her heart. "We can tell them tonight." Gwen said, "And if they're not happy for you, then that's their problem. Because I love you."

"You're so much braver than I am." Arthur nodded, and lifted her down. "Somehow I think you always will be."

Gwen gave a small, almost sarcastic laugh, "Brave." She repeated, "Only when it comes to people I barely know, darling."

"Well, then for tonight, you'll be my heroine." In that moment, it was obvious that he completely adored her.

Gwen leaned into him again, with another kiss. "What does that make you then?" She asked, "In the span of our story?"

"I'm not sure. I think this time..." Arthur gently bopped her nose, his eyes sparkling. "Maybe I'm the one in distress." Then he laughed.

Gwen joined him. "Makes a nice little change." She said through the giggles.

"Shall we?" Arthur held open the door, composing himself a bit.

Guinevere smoothed a stray piece of blonde hair from his eye before taking his strong hand. "We will brave the crowds together, dearest."

It was after dinner had been eaten, and presents had been exchanged that Arthur finally was able to gather everyone's attention as they sat before the fireplace. For a brief moment he felt his voice would leave him, as the nearly unfamiliar faces stared at him, but Gwen squeezed his hand and he smiled over his family. "I know, it has been...a very long time since I have seen most you...and in that time, many things have...changed." Arthur looked down at Gwen, and then found his father's eyes. Somehow, the old man had known all along. "Not long ago, I made a very important decision. I decided that Guinevere was someone I wanted in my life forever." Arthur didn't stop talking, but continued to watch the reactions of the once close family, and friends around him. "I've asked her marry me, and she has accepted."

Gwen stayed quiet as the room erupted around her, sinking quietly into her chair to observe the people. Everyone seemed to be talking at once. Some looked happy for Arthur, others Gwen had no idea what their reactions were. She kept her head up, but clung tightly to Arthur's hand.

"Arthur." He turned from where his cousin was congratulating him, and faced his mother. She didn't look unhappy...only concerned. "May I...speak with you, alone?"

Arthur sighed, and let go of Gwen's hand reluctantly. He knew he needed to give his Mum the one chance. They stepped into privacy, and she was quickly talking, before his ears could even recover from the noise of the other room.

"Arthur. It's too soon. You barely know her. I admit, she seems sweet, but it's too soon, my son." She attempted to hug him, but he pulled away defensively, barely registering her words before a look of betrayal came over his face.

"I've been making my own decisions for years, mother! I think I know when I love someone-" Arthur's voice broke.

"Sweetie. Honey," Her tone could be described as belittling. "The last person you said that about...killed herself. What if...Gwen...isn't stable?"

He really didn't need to be reminded about that right now. Arthur held up a hand, and began to leave. "I'm sorry. I've made my choice. Now, you have to make yours."

In the other room, Gwen brightened as people started to talk to her. The family began to really talk to her, not like they had before. It was like they were starting to consider her as a person. And as she spoke intelligently, she could see people warming to her. And that was all she needed to be happy.

"Let's go." Arthur said quickly, reentering the crowd, and taking her hand back, his face a mask of no emotions. "Please." He didn't know what happened, but he couldn't stay in one house with his mother for much longer before his head would explode...or his heart.

With hurried, rather confused goodbyes, Gwen followed after Arthur. "What happened?" She asked quietly. She knew he was upset, it was obvious.

The car was waiting for them, and Arthur helped her into it rather quickly before shutting the door, well, slamming it.

"Nothing. Nothing at all." His voice was thick by the time he could speak.

"Arthur, come on." Gwen said her tone gentle, "What's wrong? Tell me, please."

"It doesn't matter." Was Arthur's reply. "You'd be better off never knowing."

"Arthur, you know I can take it." Gwen said, "It's something your mother said." It wasn't a question.

He sighed, and ran his fingers through his hair. "You can always tell." She always could.

"She doesn't approve." Gwen said, biting her lip. Again, it was not a question.

"She never approved of anything I did." Arthur said bitterly, covering his eyes, trying to sooth a now throbbing head. "You don't ever have to go again."

Gwen moved closer to him, running her fingers though his hair and kissing him. "Don't worry." She said, "Once she sees how happy you are, she'll come around."

"She won't. It's not like that with her." He murmured, looking deep into her eyes. "We can a little wedding all to ourselves, without them."

Gwen was disappointed. She had hoped she could get along with some of Arthur's family. Some of them seemed to like her. But that was all. "Dean will probably want to come." She said.

"You've never mentioned him before." Arthur said. "Your dad?"

"My older brother." Gwen said, grinning as she thought of him. "Wait, I've never mentioned him? I thought I had."

"No. I'd like to meet him though. Hopefully, we will approve of me." His chuckle was more than slightly sarcastic.

"Dean's great." Gwen said, brushing off the comment, "Seriously, he'll be cool with it. He's a kind of protective, but I'm sure he'll like you in person. We've talked on the phone once or twice since I met you."

"I'm glad. We have enough to deal with from my side of the family." It was late, and a long drive back. Arthur was actually tired, and yawned.

Gwen ran a finger down Arthur's cheek, "It has been a really, really long day." She said soothingly.

"Mhm..." It always made him tired when she did that, and he pulled her close.

Gwen rested her head on Arthur's chest as they drove through the city, but she was completely wide awake.


	8. Chapter 8

It was an early January morning when Arthur tapped his feet on the plush carpeted floor of the apartment lobby, still waiting, then pulled out his phone to check the time. It had been a half an hour. Gwen was never late to meet him. Finally, he jumped up, and jogged up the three flights of stairs, which he'd found was actually faster than using their rather dysfunctional elevator system. He was about to knock on her door when he ran straight into her. "Oww..." She was on the phone, and he blinked. It was unusual that she should talk and walk at the same time, yet it was more unusual that he could have sworn he recognized the voice on the other line.

Gwen covered the speaker of the phone, "Sorry, I'm late." She whispered, "Just...give me a minute." She turned her attention back to the person on the phone, "Yeah, he just came in...I'll talk to you later, I promise. Thank you so much, again. Alright, g'bye." She hung up the cellphone, planting a kiss on his cheek. "Hey love."

"Hey," Arthur said, more than a bit baffled. He had to be wrong that she was talking to his mother. But that was her voice, and he could have known it anywhere. "Um...who were you talking to?"

"You're mum." Gwen replied, a bright smile on her face. "Such a lovely woman, too. Very kind."

Arthur could only assume he'd heard correctly. "Excuse me?"

"I said I was talking to your mum." Gwen replied, with a soft shrug, turning the cell phone off and placing it in her shouldered purse.

"Okay." Arthur blinked, trying not to sound a bit rejected. His mother hadn't called him once in the years that he'd been away from home. Even after everything had been getting better between her and his dad, finally, they still hadn't really seen eye to eye. His father and mother were living together, and he didn't even get a phone call? It didn't seem too wrong to feel a bit jealous.

"Don't worry." Gwen tried to reassure him gently, "I called her. I didn't want us to get married and you to be completely outcast from your family so...I called her."

"I...see." His soft frown was hidden in a glance that looked away. "Glad you enjoyed it, Gwen." Arthur held open the door to the building and then the car, so that they could get off on their dinner date.

"Arthur, please don't act like that." She sighed. "I did this for you."

"We won't fit in with my family, Gwen." He finally said, after a few moments where the only sounds you could hear where that of the car rolling. "Why don't we move to London? Start out own family. Far, far away."

Gwen pulled up her feet in the car, sitting cross-legged. "I don't understand why you won't try and work things out." She said. She held up a hand to stop him from protesting, "I know that you guys have been through some horrible, bumpy stuff, but they're your family, Arthur."

"Maybe because when I went through it, not a single one of them, especially her, even thought about being there for me. Or giving me a hug. All they did was critise the choices that got me there."

Arthur said; his voice was spread thin. "Gabby was more than a bad choice, Gwen. She was three wonderful years of my life. And now, with the situation for everyone else looking up, I still don't get anything out of her."

"Arthur everyone goes through these things in their lives." Gwen said, sounding almost impatient, "But if you don't reach out and repair that, you're never going to, and you will regret it for the rest of your life."

"And what are you saying?" He shot back. "That I should just stop, and drop every harsh word my mother ever said to me about the girl I genuinely cared about?" He couldn't say loved. She was there. Arthur loved Gwen immensely, but the hurt from Gabriella's death wasn't something he felt his family could just throw at him to take care of alone.

"No, I'm saying that you should try and get over it because if you don't, she'll be gone and you will regret the fact that you never repaired that relationship!" Gwen snapped back, dangerously close to tears. She turned her head away. She wouldn't let him see her cry.

Arthur knew he should shut his mouth. But he didn't. "You don't know my family! They've almost always hated one another. I'd rather be an outcast than live through one more family fight!" His voice escalated, and he knew it was far too loud for the close quarters they were in. "I can't do it again. They don't love me. I am the black sheep of the family." Little did he know how very blind he was being.

"At least you have a whole family!" Gwen cried her voice cracking. So she'd said it. She buried her head in her hands, covering her face from view. Why had she had to say it?

Arthur didn't reply, but his mouth knit tightly, and he tapped on the driver's shoulder. "Take us home."

Gwen couldn't control her crying, but she kept her hands covering her face, turned away from him.

Arthur pretended he couldn't hear her, but every sob tore his heart out.

As soon as the car stopped in front of the building, Gwen was out, practically running to the door. She was inside before Arthur could get out of the car.

Arthur stayed in the car for a few moments, and covered his eyes.

"Sir...sir?" Lance finally asked if he'd like to go inside.

He stood, and left without a word.

Gwen hurried to her flat, and it took her five or six tries to open the door, her hands were shaking so badly. She could hardly see through her tears. Once inside, she did the only thing she could think of. She could her older brother. He was the only one who'd be able to calm her down and she knew it.

Hours passed, and Arthur waited waiting for his emotions to settle down. Hurt triumphed over his anger, eventually and he realised he didn't have anyone to talk to. There had been Gabby, and she was, well, dead. And Gwen, she must hate him.

Finally, unable to sleep that night, he found himself roaming around the building. The place he was led to was Gwen's door.

It had taken Dean, Gwen's older brother, almost an hour to calm her down. And when she'd gotten off the phone, she was still crying, though not as badly. Her face felt extremely hot, and her head was pounding.

Arthur finally knocked, and didn't have the words to say at first. "I...just...need to know what's going on."

Gwen opened the door and heard what he said. She looked ridiculous, with her face still red and her hair tangled beyond belief. "Yeah, I guess you do." She said, moving aside to let him in.

"Yeah. Um..." He couldn't say he was sorry, because somehow he'd meant every word. "I-shouldn't have spoken that way. Even though I meant what I said, I was far too harsh."

"Yeah, I'm not sorry either." Gwen said, rubbing her eyes, "I meant everything I said."

"Well, we agree on something." Arthur bit his lip, and shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his jeans.

"The problem is," Gwen said, finally breaking, just because of how casually he appeared to be treating the whole situation. "That you don't know everything about me, and you seem to assume that you're the only one who's gone through bad family stuff, because I don't tell you all my problems!"

"I shouldn't have thought that." Arthur was willing to say almost anything to have her back in his arms, where it seemed she fit perfectly. "But you don't know everything about me, Guinevere. I am not perfect. I can't be your hero."

"I'm not asking you to be!" Gwen exclaimed, "I'm just asking you to listen for once in your life!" She knew that wasn't strictly true. He listened to her all the time. But she was upset.

"And I'm asking you to understand!" He retorted without thinking. His blue eyes held just a hint of fire in them. "Everything I've said has fallen on deaf ears."

"I am trying to understand!" Gwen practically screamed back at him, "I have listened and listened to you talk about what happened, and I care, I do. But the thing with your family? You can still change that, Arthur!"

"No! You can't, and you never will. When you find the time to really want to know," Arthur said angrily, turning towards the door. "Come to see me. But until then..." He could barely tell what he was doing, and shook his head numbly. "I can't bear to talk to you."

"There's the problem, right there." Gwen said quietly, watching him. "You don't seem to see that no matter how much you tell me, I can never truly know. I wasn't there, Arthur. I can only try to help."

Arthur bit his lip, so hard he almost bled. "I don't want to be understood, Gwen. No one has ever bothered before, and I don't see why it should need to change now."

"Clearly you do!" Gwen blurted, "Otherwise we wouldn't be having this conversation. But I have family problems too, Arthur. But I've never said anything, because you never asked. You couldn't even ask?"

"Why do we even need to continue on like this?" Arthur was tired of the yelling, and something inside him was dying. "Can we just stop? Drop the subject...please. Gwen, you have to know I love you. You complete me. And-" He still couldn't say he was sorry. It felt so wrong not to be able to say that.

Gwen turned away, rubbing her forehead, her voice finally quieting a few decibels. "Do you know why I want you to repair your relationship with your mother, Arthur?"

"No. And I see no reason why it should matter so much." He sunk against the wall for support, exhausted beyond belief.

"Because Arthur," Gwen said, "The last time I talked to my mother, I told her that I hated her. And that I never wanted to see her again." Her voice was barely audible, but he could hear it breaking. "And-she died two days l-later."

Arthur didn't have a single word to say. Was it really worth that much? After everything he really would want to be on good terms with his Mother. He knew that heaven came quickly, and by anyone's guess. He didn't want that for them, but somehow it wasn't enough. "I'm sorry..." He finally whispered.

"I don't want you to be sorry." Gwen replied, turning again to look at him, "I want you to fix this."

He nodded, and turned away, his heart heavy in his chest. Arthur knew she was right. He didn't want to go through the rest of his life, with his family as strangers. Would it really be good to have a family with no grandparents? No aunts? No uncles? All because he'd made a stupid mistake.

Gwen could see he was thinking about what she'd said, so she stayed quiet. Good. Let him think it over.

"Give me some time, please." Arthur looked up, his hand twisting the doorknob so hard it looked painful. "I need some time alone."

"This is my flat." Gwen looked confused.

"I know. Which is why you might not see me around for a while." He continued.

She knew it wasn't exactly avoidable, and hadn't been from the beginning. "Alright." She said, her voice quiet.

For some reason, Arthur couldn't feel like he understood himself anymore. "Good...bye." He shut the door behind him, and hurried up to his own rooms, completely destroyed inside. Part of him knew Gwen was completely right, and the other part was so set in his ways.

Gwen was so worn out, and it was only about twelve in the afternoon. Mechanically, she changed into her loose, comfortable pajamas, and flopped down on her bed. Her head was still pounding from her crying, and she shut her eyes to stop the headache. And before she knew it, she was asleep.

Arthur found himself going thoroughly into work mode. It was his easiest way to shut out pain. Every morning he arrived at the office as much as three hours early, and stayed just as late. It became his life.

Gwen lived in a way that was seemingly mechanic. She went to work, she came home, she showered, she ate, but she wasn't really alive. So zoned out, she didn't even notice what she was doing half the time. It was as if the all the walls she walked past, where a perpetual shade of prison gray.

They completely avoided one another, so much that others began to notice. Their engagement hadn't been a soft and quiet secret; hence, it was no wonder people were questioning things. Finally, one of Arthur's oldest employees approached him.

"Sir? I couldn't help but notice you and...Guinevere...have been at, well, at odds lately." Colin spoke, but his words were notably nervous. Barely anyone had the nerves to talk to Arthur lately.

Arthur shook his head, and covered his eyes. "I'm sorry...I can't handle talking right now. Colin...thanks for caring."

Colin shrugged, and took a seat next to his boss. "I know, but I was thinking, maybe you needed a day off. A friend."

Arthur spent the day having his ear talked off by employees who were eager to cheer him up. He appreciated their effort, but it just didn't seem to be working. Finally, when Colin wouldn't leave him alone, he sent him to Gwen's house with, 'I'm sure she...could use some cheering up as well.'

Gwen would only have been so lucky. She had no one to talk to. At all. In the end, she took a 'sick' day off work. She had been planning on just staying at home and doing...nothing. And then she'd actually gotten a sick. The worst migraine she'd ever had was now pounding it's way though her skull. Wonderful. She lay face down on her couch, her whole head pounding. "Advil." She muttered, pushing herself up to find them.

When she didn't answer the doorbell, Colin left her a bright bunch of daises, which he hoped would cheer her up. Those were the flowers Arthur always brought her, or so he'd observed.

Gwen heard the doorbell. And she ignored it, because she didn't feel like moving. She'd made it to the Advil, and was now sitting on the bathroom floor, trying to make herself get up and head towards the kitchen for water. It took several minutes before she made it there. And then she went to the door. And found the flowers. And didn't register who they were from because her head was pounding and her vision was blurred. So she put the flowers in a vase on the table, and then went to sleep.

Arthur stayed at home that night, completely sleepless. Occasionally, he'd work on his photography for a few moments, but it wasn't the same. The computer beeped, and a video chat pulled up. "Dad..." He muttered, and opened it. "Hey."

"Arthur. It's been a while since we've talked." His father said.

"Yeah...life has been complicated, lately." That was an understatement.

"Well, it will improve. It always does."

Arthur blinked. His father wasn't usually such an optimist.

"Dad, I'm glad you're happy, but I just don't feel like talking."

"Son, sometimes the times we hate it the most are the times we need it the most." The words came with a nod.

Arthur leaned back on the couch, and grimaced. "It's Gwen. We had our first fight. It's been...weeks, Dad. It hurts. But what hurts most is that I can't seem to say I'm sorry."

They talked for three hours that night and sometime Arthur actually drove over to his parents' and slept in his old bed. He needed them, and it had taken him that long to see it.

Gwen's headache was gone within a few hours, and then she finally slept. Finally. But of course, that was when her nightmares decided to make a reappearance. So two hours of sleep was about all she got. And then she wrapped herself in a blanket and listened to Kansas songs for the rest of the night.

The next morning Arthur awoke, and barely recognized his surroundings. The walls were a dusky gray blue, and various sports trophies hung on the walls as decorations. He rubbed his eyes open further. "My old room." He felt like a kid, and almost smiled. "Home..." He hadn't even realised how lonely he'd been. He could smell breakfast food coming from downstairs, and yawned.

Gwen left the blanket on her couch and put on Carry on my Wayward Son by Kansas. That cheered her up more than anything. It was her favourite song. She even smiled as she began to make breakfast for herself.

"Morning, Dad." Arthur traipsed down the stairs, on the other side of town, wearing no shirt, and a pair of plaid pajama pants that were loose and comfortable.

His father looked over him, and chuckled.

"Goodness sakes, child. Did we ever raise you? Put on some proper clothing before coming to the table."

Arthur reddened, and ran back upstairs to change before sitting down.

"Mmm. What's for breakfast?" Even when he was child, it hadn't been often that his parents had made their own food. Only when they were trying to get something out of him, or tell him something, did they ever have breakfast as a family.

"Bacon, Eggs, Toast, you name it." Was the response, as a glass of juice was poured for their son.

"Dad...what's happening?" Arthur raised an eyebrow.

"We just thought you needed some extra loving care." His mother said, coming and kissing his forehead.

Okay, this was officially weird now. His mother never did that.

"Somebody say something..."

When Gwen finished cooking, she sort of walked around her flat as she ate. She didn't really know why, but she didn't want to be sitting. She had Carry on my Wayward Son on repeat, and by the third time she was singing along.

After a few days, Arthur found he couldn't really live from a carryon bag very well, and decided to go get some things from his apartment. The boxes were still in the closet from his move in, and all he had to do was reassemble them. He left the door to the room open, and began placing some of his favourite things in the containers. It would be nice to have a little bit of his home back with him too.

Gwen prayed that Arthur was home. Now that she was happier, she turned off the music and put down the plate in the sink. Then she took the elevator up to Arthur's. It was only once she was there that she realized she was still in pajamas and flip flops.

He didn't hear the quiet footsteps sinking into the carpet. He had a pair of headphones plugged into his ipod, and was listening to music to make the time go by faster.

"Arthur?" Gwen said, confusion filling her voice, with just a hint of panic, "What are you doing?"

Arthur blinked. "Gwen? I'm...packing." He shut the box, and stood up, pulling the music away. "Just...yeah, that's it."

"Wait you're moving?" Gwen asked. The panic was definitely there.

"Yes." The answer was simple. Surely she'd understand a simple move, back into his parents' house. "It won't be forever..."

"Where are you going?" Gwen asked, trying to keep her voice calm. "How far away?"

"Ten miles...fifteen at the most. " He sunk down onto the couch, and could tell she was fighting the urge to fall apart. "It's not that big of a deal. I'll come back."

"No, I mean where are you going?" Gwen asked, finding it a bit hard to breath.

"Home." Arthur looked up, his big blue eyes looking like they could belong to a six year old. "I want to go home, Gwen."

"Wait...home as in...your parent's house?" Gwen asked.

"I need to not be alone." He said honestly. "At least there I have someone that loves me right close by. I promise it won't be forever...and..." Arthur wanted to be kind; he wanted show he still loved her. "You are welcome to come visit, anytime."

"It's fine." Gwen said, "I just...um...yeah." Her voice died off, "No, I'm glad you're going there. It'll be good." Her smile was a lopsided mess of uncertainty.

"I'm not trying to cut you off, Guinevere." Arthur sighed deeply."Surely, you know that I always loved, and always will. I'm only a phone call away, if you ever need me."

"N-no, I know." Gwen said, "And I was serious. I'm glad you're making the effort to repair this relationship. It'll be worth it."

"Just, please. Say you won't make this be over. I'm going to need you. I don't want to be alone again, Gwen, I can't live like that." He frowned and looked over the apartment, which was mostly cleared out.

"Of course not." Gwen said, "No, you have to know I love you! Actually, I think a little bit of time apart might be good... And that doesn't mean I want to be apart from you. But I think we both need it." She sounded stronger now, and was sure of her decision.

Arthur looked away, partially to hide the fact that his eyes were starting to tear up. He'd missed her, and would even more. It felt almost like he was being...sent away, not choosing to leave. "Yeah...whatever you say, Gwen. I-um-should get going."

"Yeah, right," Gwen said. She turned away. She hated long goodbyes, so she just wasn't going to bother.

"I'll see around. And someday, maybe all this can end, and it can be like once was." Arthur looked back one last time before leaving her standing there. "Don't forget."

"Of course not." Gwen replied quietly. Why did it feel like they were saying goodbye forever when she knew they weren't? Were they?


	9. Chapter 9

Arthur slowly settled in to life at his new...old...home, and even spent time with both of his parents whenever he got the chance. But he wasn't happy, and couldn't deny that. His mother was simply too bouncy, and bubbly excited to have him home to notice his charade, but his dad could read him. He'd always been able to.

"Arthur?" the words were barely audible to him, as he tried to zone himself out by the pool - absorbed in some sunshine and a good book. "Arthur..."

"Woah!" Arthur finally noticed and the paperback slipped from his hands and, and onto the deck below, barely missing the aqua pool waters. "Oh. Hey. Dad...again."

"I really don't mean to be bothering you, son." His father joined him, leaning forewords to peer into his eyes, the way he always did when worried.

"Just trying to get some quiet is all." He replied.

"Your room?"

"Too lonely." Arthur countered.

"The garden?"

"Reminded me of...of.." The young man turned away. He wouldn't think about all the flowers growing there. He couldn't let himself think about the daises. Gwen...his daisy. He missed his little daisy.

"Of Gwen." The answer was finished for him.

"That's why you moved home, isn't it, kid?" He sighed, and tousled Arthur's blonde locks.

Arthur didn't reply, and thought maybe he never would again.

Gwen had barely spoken in weeks. Since Arthur had left, really. She had never felt more alone in her life. She had her favourite songs on nonstop, only to make her feel better. She still went to work, of course, but she avoided any and all contact with Arthur. It hurt too much.

He waited. All he could do was wait for her. He'd thought she'd call, eventually. Arthur finally couldn't convince his parents of his normality anymore, and if he'd been a minor he was certain they'd forced him into a car and the doctor's office.

"I can't do it, dad, I can't go back to work." Arthur said numbly on day at lunch as he played with the food that had been placed on his plate. "You can find...them a new boss. I'll get a new job someday."

"Arthur, you're killing yourself by not talking to her, sweetie." The answer came from his mother. "The longer you wait, the more it will hurt, precious."

"I'm sorry. I wish I'd turned out to be less of a disappointing son." He said, burying his face in his arms, hiding from their tender gazes.

"You will never be a disappointment to us. But we do want you to make an effort here. Gwen loves you, and she misses you, I know it."

The voices and following conversation only seemed to just be a blur, and he zoned out again. Why would she really have a reason to want to talk to him? He didn't even want to talk to himself.

There was a reason Gwen hadn't called Arthur. And it was a fairly good one too. She'd though that he needed time, and that he'd call her when he was ready. Apparently not though. It had been so long, since they'd talked. Sometimes she'd just look at the engagement ring and wonder if he would ever want to talk to her again. Sometimes, it made her want to cry.

It was late one night that week, and Arthur was alone, and probably depressed when he picked up his cell.

It went to messages, and he didn't blame her.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made you wait." Then he shut the phone, and eventually fell asleep.

Gwen was sleeping, for once. Only because she'd taken a sleeping pill though. That was the only way she could sleep without the nightmares plaguing her. So when she woke up in the morning she practically kicked herself for missing his call. She called back immediately, and waited as the phone rang.

Arthur practically choked on his breakfast when he saw the caller ID. "Huh." He picked up the phone, took a deep breath, and went out on the deck. "Gwen...Hey."

"Arthur." Gwen said, sounding tired, "I saw you called...and...Sorry I was...asleep."

"It's fine. I was probably half asleep myself." He didn't mention how rough last night had been before he'd accidently pressed speedial. "Yeah...um...glad you called back."

"Of course I called." Gwen said, "Why wouldn't I? I..." She paused, "I miss you."

"I miss you too-" Arthur's voice broke, making it clear, even through soundwaves, how miserable he was. "More than you'd understand."

"Do you want to...come over?" She asked.

Arthur wanted to see her more than anything. "Do you really want to see me?" His reply was almost hesitant, which was unusual for the him that left, but not so much for what he'd become.

"Of course I do." Gwen replied, "Arthur...I still love you." She still sounded tired. She'd gotten so little sleep since they'd last talked...

"I love you too." If it was possible, he might love her more than he did before. "And I never once stopped thinking of you."

Arthur drove back to the hotel as fast as he could with it being legal. He had to admit, he was both nervous and completely overjoyed about seeing her again. The elevator dropped him off at floor three, and there she stood. It was like she was waiting. She knew he wouldn't break his word.

"I just...um..." There weren't really any words that Gwen could use to describe how happy she was to see him. Pajamas, flipflops, and all - she was the same as when he'd left, on the outside, but so much more grown up on the inside.

But he knew what could be done. There and then, in the middle of the hallway, he kissed her. One moment quickly turned into two, and his tender arms found a way around her shoulders, where they'd always seemed to fit perfectly. Two moments ticked away into several. "Maybe we should go inside..." Arthur breathed, as their lips parted.

"Inside's a long way away." Gwen managed to murmur, before her lips were completely occupied with his again.

Arthur didn't pull away again until she did, and by then they were both thoroughly out of breath, but had barely noticed. All he could see was her beautiful eyes, that stared right into his.

"Um..flat." Gwen said, taking his hand and pulling him in. She closed the door behind him and seemed to be kissing him again. Though she didn't remember making the decision. It just sort of happened.

Arthur could barely tell what was happening anymore, only that he was completely and totally lost in his fiancée, perhaps more than he'd ever been. "Don't ever leave me." Were the next words he said, at the occasional pause they took between being completely absorbed in one another's romance. "I promise I'll never leave you again."

"Never." Gwen whispered. Her fingers were twisted in his hair, her body pressed against his. The flurry of emotion she was feeling didn't seem to make any sense, but she didn't really care anymore.

"Ever." Arthur echoed, a brief smile lighting his lips. He belonged right there, by her side, and being anywhere else made him feel something that was so much less than human. He gently pressed her head to his chest, and felt he could finally breathe again.

Gwen had never, ever loved anyone more in her life. She wanted...no, she needed to be with him. He was completely, and totally hers.

He blinked his blue eyes, and kissed her one more time. This one was on the nose, square and soft. "You have never looked more beautiful."

Gwen actually laughed, for the first time in ages, even as she still lay against him, listening to his heartbeat. "Don't lie." She said, "I look horrible and tired."

"Mmm. Here's the truth. You have honestly, never looked more beautiful to me...ever." Arthur cradled her, and rocked.

"Oh god." Gwen said, standing on her tip toes to kiss him again, cupping his face in her small hands. "Why did I ever let you leave?"

"Because you knew I was wrong." Arthur confessed. "I left in a temper...and I hurt you, Gwen. I'm sorry."

"Shut up." Gwen replied, stopping him from saying anything else by planting her lips into his again, full force.

"Well, that was the nice way to tell me to shut up." He chuckled, and scooped her into his arms.

Gwen smiled, her arms around him, feeling completely contented. "You're welcome."

"I can't wait to marry you." His eyes sparkled, as they curled up on the couch together.

She looked up at him adoringly. "Well, that's definitely a nice change."

"It was there all along, but my foolishness hid it." Arthur said softly, pulling her onto his lap, where they cuddled.

Gwen had her arms around Arthur, her head on his shoulder "Yeah, your foolishness is annoying...but so sweetly adorable."

"We all have those moments..." He sighed, "But you're just the sweetly adorable part."

"Don't make me laugh." Gwen said, drawing hearts on his chest with her finger.

"What are you doing?" Arthur said curiously looking into her eyes. "That kind of...tickles...you know. I am...very...ticklish."

Gwen smiled, "Bit of an absentminded thing." She said, though she didn't stop.

"That really tickles..." His tone was playful, and he had to shut his eyes in order not to start laughing. "Guinevere. Stop..." He had to laugh.

"No, I like having you at my mercy for once." Gwen said, mischief in her big brown eyes.

"This is unfair. Oh, this is so unfair." Arthur groaned. "Please, please, please stop." He stopped his pleadings the moment he had the idea. "Or maybe, I should tickle you."

"No!" Gwen bounced off his lap the minute it came out of his mouth, "Bad plan!" Then she stood, holding her hands out in front of her, and giggling furiously. "Please no."

"Ooh, good plan." Arthur's grinned, and aimed a set of wiggling fingers at her thin waist. "Poke...poke...poke!"

"No!" Gwen shrieked, turning and hiding behind the couch.

"Would you rather I kiss you?" He peeped over the top of it, his eyes bright. "That provides me just as much joy."

"I think I would prefer that, yes." Gwen replied, rather out of breath, even though he'd barely touched her.

"Decisions, decisions..." He leaned down. Then in a simple and sweet moment, Arthur gently gave her one kiss. "And I have made mine."

"Oh good." Gwen said. She couldn't seem to keep her hands off him for some reason, and sighed contentedly, playing with his hair, even as he hung upsidedown over the sofa.

"We should get you some lunch. You must hungry." Arthur could always tell when she hadn't been eating.

"Not really." Gwen said with a shrug, although she loved how he always seemed to want to take care of her.

"Not really is good enough, by the looks of you." He said compassionately. "Com'on, let's go down to deli. You can still hold my hand, we don't have to be completely apart. We are engaged."

"I don't want to be apart at all," was Gwen's reply, while she ran her index finger down his tan cheek. "Ever."

"Take my hand." Arthur stood, and held it out to her. "This is my promise to you. Right now, that I will never leave you again."

Gwen, without hesitation, took his hand, and stood beside him, happily getting lost in those diamond blue eyes. "I trust you."

"I promise." Arthur grapsed her small fingers, and somehow, he knew he'd communicated his message.

"I promise." She said, feeling perfect faith in him.

Hand in hand, they went down to get Gwen's lunch, and hand in hand, Arthur felt sure they'd be forever.

"We will take care of eachother, won't we?" Gwen asked, clutching his hand tightly.

"Always."

Arthur liked the way Gwen didn't let go of his hand as they sat down for lunch together. Actually, he loved it. "So, I've been thinking." He said quietly. "Maybe you'd like to get away for a while?" After everything, he could use some time away from the noise and people of New York.

"I think that would be a wonderful idea." Gwen replied. "What did you have in mind?"

"The beach?" Arthur shrugged. "I haven't been in a while, and...sounds relaxing." He wanted time with her, only her. He felt he needed a time to get to know every little detail.

"Oh my goodness I haven't been to the beach since I was little!" Gwen squealed, both her hands rising her cover her mouth, "Oh, could we?"

"Of course!" He grinned. "My family has a timeshare there. We used to go several times a year, before everything changed."

"Then yes, I think we should definitely go to the beach." Her eyes shone.

"It's settled then! I'm sure my dad will let me take you. You just have to choose...which one." Arthur said.

"Which one what?" Was the reply, completely confused.

"Which beach, silly!" Arthur ruffled her hair.

"Oh my god there's a choice of more than one?" Gwen asked, mouth gaping. "Sometimes, I forget how rich you are."

"There is a choice between four." He laughed.

"Arthur, it takes me days to choose which nail polish colour I want. How am I going to choose a beach? Why don't we just go between them all?" She grinned, clapping her thin hands together in excitement. "Road trip."

"You can't get to them on a roadtrip..." Arthur wrinkled his brow in faux thought. "No...unless cars can fly."

"We can make cars fly." Gwen said with a toss of the head, "The world is ours. We can do what we want."

"Cars can't fly, darling, but any sort of plane can." He chuckled. "But, really, you pick. I love them all." He took out his cellphone, and opened a map. "See. There is...a long way from home. A short way from home. Oh, or a very long way from home if you want to go to Hawaii or somewhere in Europe."

"I would like to go a very long way from home." Gwen smiled, feeling very grown up. "Somewhere...fresh...exciting."

"I said, it's all up to you." Arthur laughed. "Com'on. Surely you have some idea. All of them have their perks."

"A very long way from home." Gwen repeated, then stopped, "Hawaii is nice I hear. Extotic."

"My wish is your command." He chuckled at her brightness.

Gwen grinned, "Oh my god! Beach!"

"And you'll be the queen of it." Arthur smiled.

"Only if you'll be my king." Gwen sweetly blinked, looking straight into his deep blue eyes. She'd never noticed before how much they were like the colour of the ocean she'd seen when she was small.

"Of course. I am whatever you will me to be. Your Arthur." Arthur let go of her hand, and and gently placed his lips onto her forehead, but only briefly.

Gwen sighed in contentment, "Guinevere's Arthur." She said, then perked up, like a hyper pup or child again, "Now can we go to the beach...please?"

"After we go see my parents. Then, I promise it's all yours." He frowned, but also managed to look rather amused. "Do...you happen to like shopping...by any chance?"

"It depends what kind of shopping." Gwen replied, looking slightly suspicious, "Why?"

"Because...my mother loves shopping. She always went shopping before we went vacation, and I have a feeling she's going to drag you out the door, before you know what's going on."

"Fascinating!" Gwen laughed, "Some bonding time." She didn't sound in the least sarcastic, though maybe slightly scared.

"I'll tell her to be nice." Arthur grimaced. "But you don't have to go! You can say no. You can always say no."

"No, your mum's nice." Gwen replied, "If not a little...overbearing."

"Just a tad. Maybe just a little." He held his fingers an inch apart, illustrating his point. "Though she did make me the best dressed lad in secondary school."

Gwen grinned, " I have no doubts you were the envy of all the girls. And, I'm sure it'll be fine."

"As long as you want to go."

" Of course I do." Gwen said, poking him, with a smile.

"Stop. Don't torture me." Arthur pleaded, puppy eyes appearing. "Not in public."

"Oh goodness. Why can't I say no to you?" Gwen asked.

"Because I have puppy eyes. And a very convincing pout." He used it.

"That is definitely the reason." Gwen said, nodding.

"Yes!" Arthur grinned. "Knew it."

"Oh shush." Gwen replied.

"Shush I shall." Arthur blinked, looking mischievous, if only slightly.

"Perfect." She giggled.

There was a moment of silence. "Do you really like me better when I don't talk?" Arthur made a face.

"No." Gwen said. "I like you better when you're you."

"Which means...?" He cocked an eyebrow, and stood to go, after paying the bill.

"It means I like it when you don't pretend you're okay when you're not." Gwen responded, soft eyebrows pointing downwards, in a worried expression.

"So I see." Arthur opened the door, and stepped into the bright light, looking up at the sky. The truth was that he didn't, but that he'd try.

Gwen took his hand, "Don't worry." She said, "No matter what you do, I still love you."

Arthur sighed, and slid his fingers into hers. "Thanks, Gwen."

"Don't worry about it." Gwen said, lying her head on his shoulder.

"I always worry. You know me." Arthur said quietly.

"Unfortunately, yes, I know you." Gwen responded, actually able to keep the jest out of her tone.

He snickered, catching the joke.

"Ah, he sees the humour." She smiled up at him.

"Of course." He got that impish look over his face again. "Or I couldn't do..."

"Couldn't do...what?" Gwen asked.

Arthur pulled her onto the grass, and tickled - gently but crazily. Then for a brief moment threw his head back into the sun, and really laughed. "Couldn't do this!"

"Oh, no please!" Gwen exclaimed, her body twisting to get out of his reach. This was the second time that day, and her stomach hurt from laughing.

He stopped, then lay down on the warm grass, beside her, and looked perfectly content.

Gwen moved her hand back to his, and just put it on top of his gently, her face turned upwards towards the sun, eyes closed.

"Beautiful." It was a simple remark, but it was all he needed to say. The day was beautiful.

His fiancee turned her head to look at him, squinting to block the sun. She rolled over onto her stomach and brushed his hair back off his face. "You are amazing." She said, her voice low and soft.

He smiled, his ribs shaking in a short laugh. "No...you are."

"Oh, don't make me argue with you." Gwen said, continuing to brush at his hair.

"What are you doing?" His blue eyes slowly blinked open, just a bit lazily. The sun was making him tired.

"I am trying to be romantic." Gwen replied, "And you are ruining the moment."

"I'll shut up." He moved closer, wrapping one arm around her shoulders.

"Good. It's hard enough as it is." She said, continuing to play with his hair.

"One question?"

"And one question only." Gwen crooned.

"May I kiss you?" His eyes were still closed, but the curiosity was peppering his voice. The moment was so perfect. That was the only thing he felt was missing - their lips locked into eachothers.

"Well, I don't know..." Gwen said, teasing him.

"Guinevere." Arthur raised a hand and caressed her face.

"Arthur." She replied.

"Kiss me." It was more of a dare, this time.

"Hmmm...to do or not to do?" Gwen asked, more to herself, but aloud.

He smiled.

"Well, since you asked nicely." Gwen ducked her head gently and kissed him.

Arthur opened his eyes, relishing the brief moment, before turning to look up at her. It was a day he never wanted to forget.


End file.
